Cricket: Cornwall score well in shootout

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

Cornwall skipper Charles Ewart stirred up a hornets' nest among the players from West Auckland in the fifth round of the one-day club cricket series yesterday when he invoked the letter of the law in a substitute issue.

Ewart almost finished up getting stung for his trouble.

But at the end of the 28-over shootout against Suburbs New Lynn, Cornwall had too much firepower.

The win took them clear on the table and into the semifinals with two games remaining.

Ewart refused to allow Suburbs to use New Zealand A, Auckland and Takapuna player Lou Vincent as a substitute fielder when Chris Lee broke a finger. He had the right of refusal and chose instead a substitute from his own side, but it hardly seemed to matter as Cornwall won the game with five wickets and 45 balls to spare.

Four games started yesterday but on Saturday rain washed out the second day of the two-day series.

Interest was primarily in the top group of the first division where five sides were vying for three places in the final rounds.

Papatoetoe scored an easy win over University Akarana and went straight through to the final.

Waitakere handed Birkenhead 20 extra balls from wayward bowling in a 35-over match, but still managed to win by producing a superior run-rate, and have made it through to the semifinal play-off.

Richard Pudney continued his superb form this season with 61, hit in very difficult conditions.

There was a strong flurry at the end of the Waitakere innings when Worcestershire county player Matt Rawnsley fired off 30 in double-quick time.

Eden Roskill came back strongly to beat Ellerslie and will play the westerners for a place in the final.