Country cricket wrap: Weedons suffer first loss for the season

Southbrook vs Rangiora at Dudley Park recently. Photo / Kurt Bayer

Competition leaders Weedons suffered their first loss of the country cricket season on Saturday after an unsuccessful road trip to Cheviot.

The 105-run loss to a resurgent Cheviot Magpies came after the home side posted a commanding 214/9 in their allotted 45 overs in the latest round of the CRV Ambreed Country Premier One Day 2020/21 competition.

Solid contributions by the top five batsmen, led by a half century from Archie Redfern, and a blistering 42 runs off 23 balls from Will Smith, helped set up the dominant win at Cheviot Domain.

Sam Clarke, who grabbed four wickets, was the pick of the bowlers for Weedons, who were disappointed to gift 31 extras.

The Weedons chase spluttered, losing their first wicket in the third over, and never got going, crumbling to be all out for 109.

It was an unfitting farewell for Weedons player/coach Sam Wilson, whose tireless work for the club will be sorely missed.

At Mandeville, a big shout for LBW that went the way of bowler Rhys Mariu and resulted in the dismissal of Canterbury player Henry Shipley for 47 helped swing a big victory for Ohoka over Darfield on Saturday.

Shipley's innings was the shining light in Darfield's disappointing first innings of 134 all out.

Ohoka opener Ryan Kelly steered the home XI to a six-wicket win with a composed 56 runs off 112 balls before former Cheviot player Harry Fitzpatrick finished off the job with an unbeaten 24.

Oxford-Rangiora won a rain-affected match over Lincoln by seven runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method after batting first and making 177/8 in 45 overs.

An aggressive 49 from lower-order batsman Mitch Power gave impetus to the innings and probably ended up turning the match.

Arthur Paterson (41 not out) and Robert Sporke (38 not out) had Lincoln well placed when the rain came down and washed out play, resulting in the 7-run defeat.

A depleted Southbrook, struggling for numbers, were embarrassed on home soil.

Sent in to bat by Leeston-Southbridge, the 10-man 'Brook were rolled for a paltry 39 runs inside 17 overs. Extras were the top score with 12, while Tom Burt took a five-wicket haul.

Lee-Bridge knocked off the early afternoon victory in just 6.5 overs, with Rupert Young leading the way with an unbeaten 21 off 23 balls.

Sefton had the bye.

Short scorecards:

• Cheviot 214/9 (A Redfern 55, W Smith 42, T Whelan 26, R Ellis 24, J Hyde 20; S Clarke 4/39, D Nightingale 2/29, J Parker 2/41)
Beat Weedons 109 (B Nightingale 23, S Clarke 20; L Calkin 3/18, T Fitzpatrick 2/18).

• Darfield 134 (H Shipley 47; H Williams 2/10, A Hamilton 2/27, R Miller 2/34).
Lost to Ohoka 135/6 (R Kelly 56, H Fitzpatrick 24no, D Lyons 22; T Innes 2/4, L Foulkes 2/29).

• Oxford-Rangiora 177/8 (M Power 49, D Fulton 38, C Scott 24, D Smith 23; W Wroe 3/32, H Paterson 2/30, L Robinson 2/30)
Beat Lincoln 108/5 (A Paterson 41no, R Sporke 38no; S Fleming 2/25).

• Southbrook 39 (T Burt 5/17, D Neal 3/12)
Lost to Leeston-Southbridge 40/2 (R Young 21no).