Cricket: Eastern Suburbs also bite the dust as Napier Tech juggernaut rolls on at NZ champs

NTOB opening batsmen Matt Edmondson's smile says it all as he walks off with teammate Bronson Meehan after beating Eastern Suburbs (Wellington) at the Cornwall CC park, Auckland. Photo/supplied

It's two down and three to go as Napier Technical Old Boys made short work of another team today in their quest to defend their status as the best premier men's club cricket team in New Zealand.

The Innovative Electrical-sponsored side crushed Eastern Suburbs, of Wellington, by eight wickets after the Hawke's Bay heavyweights left Northern Districts qualifiers Greerton, of Tauranga, dazed on the canvas by 10 wickets on day one of the limited-overs competition yesterday.

Having won the toss at Cornwall Cricket Club park two in Auckland today, NTOB skipper Liam Rukuwai remained faithful to the mantra of bowling first before skittling Eastern Suburbs for 114 runs with 100 balls left in the Wellingtonians' bank.

In reply, the Texans took a bolshy mindset to eclipse the target with 2-115 in just 14.4 overs.

"They just bowled like real tight and piled up dot balls to create some pressure which got us plenty of wickets so they've done really well," said opening batsman Matt Edmondson of the NTOB bowling attack.

Right-arm fast bowler Todd Watson claimed 4-27 from 9.2 overs, including a maiden, at first change while new-ball merchant Rukuwai took 3-36 from his allotted 10 overs, including a maiden and the prized wicket of Wellington Firebirds batsman Michael "The Beast" Bracewell for 18 runs at No 4.

"Once we got him we knew it'd be a bit easier because he can bat pretty well," wicketkeeper Edmondson said of Bracewell who he gloved, including two other batsmen.

Fellow opening seamer Christian Leopard (1-23) and left-arm orthodox spinner Jayden Lennox stifled the Suburbs batsmen with the latter almost unplayable with 2-7 from five overs, including three maidens.

Watson said the bowlers found the wicket agreeable when they hit the right areas.

"If you got too full it was too easy hitting, as Matty showed in his innings," he said of opening batsman Edmondson's unbeaten 74 runs.

NTOB captain Liam Rukuwai (left) leads player/coach Jesse Ryder, Morten Freer and Todd Watson off the Cornwall CC park in Auckland after bowling against Eastern Suburbs today. Photo/supplied

The 20-year-old Complete Paints employee, in his fourth season with the prems, said goodish length deliveries demanded batsmen to adapt.

"We always play aggressive so no matter what the pitch is we'll come out firing because it happens to help us," Watson said of the Central Districts flag fliers who have four with first-class experience.

The former Napier Boys' High School pupil said they would reflect on their past season to hatch more sound blueprints that would accentuate their strengths.

"We all fielded well so we're pretty lucky to be good in all facets [of play]."

Such was the blitz that only five Suburbs batsmen got into double figures although no one got past the highest score of 23 runs and three of those were from the tail end.

Neither Bracewell, with off spins, nor former two-time player of the tourney and Wellington A allrounder Jamie Gibson could produce the heroics that saw them edge out St Albans, of Canterbury, by a wicket yesterday.

The sides took lunch break on a 20-minute rain stoppage so the Duckworth-Lewis Method didn't kick in.

2018-19 Hawke Cup-winning opening batsmen Edmondson spearheaded the chase, top scoring with an unbeaten 74 runs from 53 deliveries, including six boundaries and five sixes.

Fellow opener Leopard (six runs) and Izaiah Lange (25 runs) at first drop took a similar front-foot stance at a ball-a-run returns before veteran Bronson Meehan ended trading with eight not out.

"You've got to be positive if it's doing a bit, which is what it was, but if you try to play a ball without your name on it it'll get you out," said Edmondson who is having a dream summer.

NTOB opening batsmen Matt Edmondson shows his class on the way to scoring an unbeaten 74 runs against Eastern Suburbs, of Wellington, at the Cornwall CC park in Auckland. Photo/supplied

The 25-year-old Crowe and Horwath accountant from Hastings, who created Bay senior men's rep history when last month he became the first batsmen to score two career double centuries in a season, said anything up and short he was going to smash today although he did respect the good ball.

Knocking on the Stags' door, Edmondson said the Jesse Ryder-coached Texans were mindful the abbreviated games so far were not exposing their batting depth in anticipation of a full-blown encounter but no one was grumbling in the middle to lower order.

"They'll turn up when they need to so it won't bother them too much."

Watson said the great support from the Texans' fan base was proving to be an ideal catalyst in their performance.

In other games today, St Albans beat Parnell, of Auckland, by 110 runs while Otago qualifiers Green Island, of Dunedin, went down to the wire against Greerton before grinding them down by five wickets.

Greerton, who amassed 349 runs in their innings before they were skittled, must rue not seeing through their remaining 13 balls as three batsmen failed to convert half tons to centuries.

Conversely, Green Island got there on 355 runs with an over to spare. Opener AJ Harris scored 110 runs, recently retired domestic cricketer/captain Brad Wilson added 118 at first drop and Christi Viljoen was unbeaten on 64runs at No 6.

All of that suggests the Texans will face stiffer opposition this week.

NTOB play St Albans tomorrow, Parnell on Friday and Green Island on Saturday.