Starting the day at 45-0 and trailing by 156 runs, St Kentigern faced early pressure as tight bowling made run scoring difficult. The pressure paid off as Tyron Carter made the initial breakthrough, and Chris Groenink got just reward for good bowling with two further wickets before lunch leaving St Kentigern struggling on 89-5 at the break. Rangitoto kept the pressure on after lunch, led by Groenink, who finished with figures of 4-24 from 20 overs, and St Kentigern were bowled out for 140.
An aggressive approach saw Rangitoto make 120-9 in 25 overs before declaring, setting St Kentigern a target of 180. St Kentigern were 89-4 at the close of play.
In the Plate section, Rosmini top the standings with Sacred Heart.
They claimed a first innings win over Auckland Grammar at Rosmini thanks to an unbeaten 94 from Kieran Seedall.
Rosmini were well placed at 170-5 when Jack Dymond produced a brilliant spell of fast bowling to take 7-53 and reduce Rosmini to 193-9 chasing 201 to win. Rosmini edged past the target thanks to a last-wicket 10-over partnership from Seedall and Niko Weerakoon.
Opening batsmen Flynn McGregor-Sumpter and Dillon Wijesinghe formed a strong partnership early for Grammar. McGregor-Sumpter was denied a century when stumped on 99, and Wijesinghe scored 68. With no time left to push for an outright result, play closed with Grammar 206-2.
A dominant 147 not out by Jack Coman highlighted Sacred Heart's first-innings win over King's. Young opener Adam MacKinnon scored 47.
Sacred Heart declared at lunch on 217-6. Some early inroads into the King's lineup made an outright result look likely, but Mitchell Nash (63), Sam Wilson and Fergus Salmon (39) provided resistance as King's managed to see out the day in relatively comfortable fashion at 181-5.
There was plenty of drama in the Shield section. After the loss of an early wicket, Cameron Hull (23*) and Greg Vermaak got Macleans to 170 and a handy 53-run lead over Avondale. Avondale's Bhavya Arora finished with 4-29 off his 17 overs.
Avondale lost a couple of early wickets in reply and were struggling at 26-2. A belligerent innings from Wynand Classens (35) anchored the innings before the middle order added some impetus through Lithira Fonseka (45) and Liam Robertson (33). Carl de Beer was the pick of the Macleans bowlers with 5-44.
Avondale's declaration saw Macleans set a target of 135 to win in the last session. Arora continued his great game to take 5-13 and return match figures of 9-42 and, combined with Fonseka's 3-9, Macleans almost capitulated. At one point they were 7-29 with 16 overs to see out. Sudhakar Bacharam (27) did just enough along with Abrar Ahmed and Hull to end the day with a solitary wicket and first-innings points.
Takapuna Grammar secured first-innings points over Liston. Play resumed with Liston 23-2 and needing some big partnerships. However, Steven Newey's sensational six-over spell (all maidens), including three wickets in one over, had Liston reeling at 6-38.
They fought back but were 92 all out at lunch. Liston were asked to follow on and batted better, particularly Sam Devereaux who finished 65 not out, to deny Takapuna Grammar an outright win. They finished the day at 187-4.
BMX
Glendowie's Zoe Fleming continues to star in the junior BMX ranks.
At last month's North Island titles event in Taupo, Fleming, profiled in the July 29 College Sport, won the junior women's honours from Rebecca Perch of Te Awamutu. Fleming, who rides for the Papakura club, is on the verge of breaking into the professional BMX ranks. She will focus on a big race in the US once her senior school exams are completed.
Her younger brother Jayden Fleming took the 16-year-old boys' class and, with it, the Paul Fisher Trophy for best rider in that category.
