Kaipaki Gold v Eastlink Black
On the second-to-last Saturday of the regular cricket season, Kaipaki Gold started the fixture against Eastlink Black in the field at Kaipaki Oval.
Captain Dylan Jeffries, who is dominating the Kaipaki Stats this season, was again in wicket-taking form.
His in-swing bowling with the new ball has been hard to handle and he has regularly knocked the top off the opposition's top order.
Jeffries took 2-30 off six overs.
Another young player who has been in wicket-taking form this season is left-arm seamer Trent Butler.
Butler is a different type of bowler who pushes the ball across the batsman and bowls a good consistent length.
Butler was outstanding taking 4-20 off his seven overs.
Other bowlers to take wickets were Zach Mahaffey, who has been in the wickets this season with 1-52.
And two players who have put their hand up time and time again to help the Kaipaki nation out, Andrew Bowe who took 2-43 and Nigel Phillips who took his first wicket for the Kaipaki nation finishing with 1-52.
Eastlink were all out for 270.
When it came to Kaipaki's turn to bat, it was Dharmik Desai who was the dominant figure for Kaipaki Gold.
Dharmik is a clean hitter of the cricket ball and has a magnificent eye, he isn't afraid to attack the bowling and hit over the infield.
Desai was fantastic hitting 10 x 4s and a 6, scoring 70 off 75 balls.
Others to get starts were captain Jeffries with 20, hitting 4 x 4s, the ageless Leith Schwass made 15 and Mahaffey also made 15.
Both Schwass and Mahaffey hit two boundaries each.
Unfortunately, Kaipaki fell short in their run chase.
Kaipaki X1 v New Zealand Croatia
Kaipaki hosted their first International fixture of 2022 with a match against New Zealand Croatia on Sunday.
There was a buzz in the air as some special presentations were made pre-game.
Hiki Toroa, Sean Gutry and Leighton Parsons received their 10-game caps for the Kaipaki nation.
Fifty game badges were presented to Alisha Rout, Zach Mahaffey and Trent Butler.
The first 100-game badge was presented to Dylan Jeffries, who at just 20 has played over 100 games for Kaipaki.
New Zealand Croatia captain and former Auckland Aces batsman Dusan Hakaraia won the toss and decided to bat first.
New Zealand Croatia made the better start with opening batsman Don Smith-Hodgson in superb form.
Smith-Hodgson was extremely strong through point and cover during his 57 off 65 balls.
For Kaipaki on debut, Xavier Lea knocked over both opening batsmen, Ryan Majstrovich and Tommy Hayes, dismantling both players' stumps.
At one stage it looked like New Zealand Croatia could post 300-plus.
Then captain Jeffries brought Kaipaki regulars Gutry and Mahaffey to the bowling crease.
Gutry was magnificent, bowling seven overs on the trot, even though he went wicketless he help pull back the New Zealand Croatia scoring rate, going for just 37 off his eight overs.
At the other end Mahaffey took the wickets, taking 3-29 off six overs, including the wicket of Croatia captain Hakaraia for 40.
Hakaraia showed his class during his innings of 40 playing some fantastic drives and lofted shots.
And just when it looked like New Zealand Croatia were getting away again on Kaipaki, Butler came to the bowling crease.
He dragged Kaipaki back into the game, bowling former Marlborough rugby rep Dean Devcich for 45.
Devcich, brother of former Black Cap Anton, played some powerful leg-side shots before Butler struck.
Butler went on to finish with 4-60 off his eight overs.
Opening bowler Lea finished with 3-46.
Sean Crotty also worked hard at the bowling crease only going for 32 off his six overs.
In the field, wicketkeeper Bennet Groube was impressive standing up to the quick bowlers later on in the Croatia Innings, Toroa fielded well at point and Rout was superb in the outfield.
New Zealand Croatia were all out for 248.
Enter Leighton Parsons to the crease for Kaipaki.
Parsons, motivated by the presentation of his baggy green and gold cap pre-game, again showed what a magnificent cricketer he is.
His whole innings was controlled pushing the ball around early on, then later in his innings playing some fantastic drives through the covers and lofted shots.
For the fourth time in as many innings, Parsons raised his bat for the Kaipaki nation and carried his bat in an innings of 129 not out.
Parsons was supported by captain Jeffries with 62.
Jeffries was strong through the leg side and also played a number of what is becoming his trademark shot, reverse sweeps.
Lea chipped in with a powerful 33 not out, to cap off a great all-round debut for the nation.
For Croatia, left-arm spinner Majstrovich was the best of their bowlers picking up three wickets.
Kaipaki reached the Croatia target four down, to complete a famous six-wicket win over their international opponent.
