PREMIER MEN MAKE SEMI-FINALS: DIV 2 CELEBRATE TWO WINS – 13 DECEMBER 2025
A blistering unbeaten 72 from Matt Tromp powered the Premier Men to the crucial morning victory they needed to secure a place in next Sunday’s T20 final. However, an afternoon defeat to Heathcote meant the side narrowly missed out on net run rate on earning a home semi-final.
It was a standout day for the Division 2 men, who have battled hard for results this season. They claimed their first win of the campaign at Elmwood Park before backing it up with an impressive second victory against Merivale Papanui at Edgar Macintosh, Freddie Winsor playing a key role in the latter match with his well-made 60.
With injuries continuing to take their toll on the club’s top two men’s teams, the Championship side endured another winless day, while the Premier Women also had a tough outing, going down in their 40-over match against OBC.
The afternoon grades delivered plenty to celebrate. The Division 3 Tamils remain perched at the top of the table after Nairanjan Mani’s outstanding 5/20 sealed a win over Lancaster Park. Both Division 4 sides were also successful: Ollie Philpott’s superb all-round effort of an unbeaten 56 and 4/35 kept the Goats on top of their ladder, while Amrinder Singh’s 4/20 played a key role in the Royal Challengers’ victory.
In the Masters grade Hospital’s stalwart Matt Gilling produced a match-winning spell of 5/32 as his side edged past the Cardinals in a thrilling derby at Mandeville that went down to the final ball. The T20 Gujarat Kings also enjoyed success, with Yash Patel starring with an unbeaten 53 and figures of 2/21.
Some of the photos in this publication are also courtesy of Ash Hart’s Hartland Images.
Premier Men
East Shirley 116-5 (20 overs)
Sydenham 121-1 (8.4 overs)
Although leading the T20 competition, Sydenham required one further win to ensure itself a spot in next Sunday’s semi-finals, preferably in its morning match against East Shirley at Sydenham Park rather than under pressure later in the day at Heathcote.
Mitch Gardner & Tom Agnew
East Shirley won the toss and elected to bat on a fresh strip. They started well enough with the two openers putting on 29 for the 1st wicket at a run-a-ball before Tom Agnew struck – two overs later, he then enticed Tim Hamption-Matehe to play on, but by the end of the 8th over, Easts were still ticking along satisfactorily at 38-2. Archie Goodrick then claimed another key wicket in Leo Carter at the start of the 10th over, and the Easts innings started to falter. Makenzie Thomson bowled a couple of tight overs as the squeeze came on in the middle overs, and although Easts still maintained wickets in hand, they weren’t able to accelerate significantly towards the end of the innings as they might have liked. Tom Agnew was the pick of the bowlers – his opening four overs picked up both openers, and only went for 13, as he set the tone. Makenzie was probably the pick of the others with his 1-18 off four.
Matt Tromp
Easts’ 116-5 was probably 30-40 below par, but enough to be competitive if they could get a good start with the ball. However, that start came from Sydenham’s opening batsmen, Matt Tromp. With his partner Dax Barbaria carrying his share of the effort with an 18 off 14 balls, the pair put on 59 off the first four overs to quickly take the match away from Easts. When Dax was out at that score, Matt was joined by Aarush Bhagwat, and the pair were able to play with freedom and finish the match inside nine overs. At the end, Aarush had produced a nice cameo innings with 14 off nine balls, but it was Matt who had done most of the damage. His 72 came off just 29 balls and included eight 6’s, mostly struck with powerful clean strokes over mid-on or wide mid-on, with Sydenham finishing at 121-1 in the 9th over.
Thanks to umpires Kaushik Padmanaban & Shreyas Debur
Full scoreboard & video highlights: https://live.nvplay.com/nz?tab=m_scorecard#mc9200598-bea5-4f8f-b3fe-f47d8deec4d5
Sydenham 103-8 (20 overs)
Heathcote 104-5 (17.4 overs)
With a semi-final already secured, Sydenham travelled to Heathcote Domain to face fellow semi-finalists Heathcote in a clash that would determine home advantage. Conditions were typical of the Domain: a good batting surface, lightning-quick outfield, and some short boundaries promising plenty of runs.
Heathcote, fresh from an earlier commanding victory in which they piled on 191–5 batting first, won the toss and elected to bowl. That decision was quickly justified as Sydenham slumped to 12–3 inside the first three overs, losing key batters Tromp, Wallace and Bhagwat in quick succession. From there, the innings never truly recovered, with partnerships hard to come by.
Brandon Metzopoulos
There was encouragement, however, in the Sydenham debut of Brandon Matzopoulos, recently selected for the New Zealand Under-19 squad for the upcoming World Cup in Zimbabwe. He looked at ease from the outset, striking an enterprising 25 from just 17 deliveries before departing with the score at 44–5. As wickets continued to fall, Jackson Hemingway once again showed his value, anchoring the innings with a composed unbeaten 41 from 42 balls. With limited support, Hemingway batted with restraint before cashing in late, with 23 runs coming from the final two overs.
Jackson Hemingway
In truth, 103–8 was always going to be well below par in such favourable batting conditions, likely 50–60 runs short of a competitive total. Nevertheless, Sydenham made a spirited start with the ball. Captain Mitch Gardner led from the front, striking twice early and consistently troubling the batters. Tom Agnew backed him up superbly, claiming two economical wickets, and Heathcote suddenly found themselves 27–4 in the sixth over.
Michael Rippon steadied the chase with a run-a-ball innings, but when he fell at 55–5, Sydenham sensed an opening. Unfortunately for the visitors, that proved to be the final breakthrough. Samson and Nation showed good composure and combined for an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 49 to guide Heathcote home in the 18th over.
Gardner (4–2–20) and Agnew (4–2–16) were the standout bowlers for Sydenham, while Archie Goodrick claimed the remaining wicket. Another highlight was the outstanding ground fielding of Matzopoulos, whose reputation as a top fielder was very evident.
Heathcote were deserving winners, controlling the contest from start to finish. The result sees them finish second on net run rate, with Sydenham third, setting up the likelihood of a rematch at Heathcote Domain next Sunday in the semi-final — a chance for Sydenham to seek redemption.
Thanks to umpires Brent Littmoden & Alan Hill
Full scoreboard & video highlights: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/oem-audio-mens-premiership/game-centre/8e2e3781
Birdwood Café Premier Women
Sydenham 119 (33.3 overs)
OBC 120-2 (21.5 overs)
TBA
Thanks to umpires Shreyash Kalyan & Nick Capaldi
Championship
Sydenham 91 (20 overs)
Halswell 97-2 (13.2 overs)
The Championship has struggled to get going in the T20 competition, not helped by a number of injuries in the top two sides at a time when availability isn’t high anyway due to the University break taking some players away.
Saturday’s matches were no exception when Sydenham took on top of the table Halswell on Halswell Domain. Sydenham started well when they won the toss and Nathanael Partridge and Akshan Gulati put on 48 for the 1st wicket at close to 5’s before Nate was out in the 10th over for 17 off 27 balls. Akshan (30 off 36) and Adi Suganthi were both out in the 12th over at 55-3, and the innings never recovered from there. Tom McDonald (15 off 22) was the only other player to reach double figures as the side slid to 91-7 at the end of their 20 overs.
Udi Upadhyay then created some excitement when he clean bowled Halswell key batsman Hardeep Singh with the first ball of the innings. He picked up another wicket in his second over at 21-2, but from there Halswell was untroubled and coasted home at 97-2 in the 14th over. Udi [4-2-25] was the pick of the bowlers on the day.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/mens-championship/game-centre/5eef5740
Heathcote 219-5 (20 overs)
Sydenham 129 (19.4 overs)
The afternoon’s match back on Sydenham no. 1 against Heathcote was one where the visitors batted first and quickly batted Sydenham out of the match. All of the Heathcote top order produced useful contributions and scored at pace such that only two of the six bowlers used conceded at less than double-figure rates. Heathcote finished with an imposing 219-5 at the end of their 20 overs.
Conway Andrews
A required run rate of above 10 was always going to be a massive test for the batsmen, and so it proved. Nathanael Paltridge certainly assisted the start, but he lost his partner, Akshan Gulati, early at 10-1. He and new batsman Adi Suganthi responded to that by taking 21 off the next over, then 20 off the next, and when Nate was out in the 5th over for 29 off 12 balls, at 57-2 Sydenham was roughly on track. Adi was going well, but as the bowlers tightened, and pressure came on Adi was out for 26 off 20 balls, and an over later, another key batsman, Tom McDonald, followed him back.
Akshan Gulati
With the required run rate pressure growing, more wickets were lost as Sydenham struggled to accelerate. Shevon Perera (15 off 12 balls) and a 21 of 27 from Conway Andrews, were the only two remaining batsmen able to contribute as the home side was eventually bowled out in the final over, well short at 129.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/cmca-adult-summer-202526/mens-championship/game-centre/ad3a87af
Division 2
Match report courtesy of Todd Ward
OBC 120 (19.4 overs)
Sydenham 121-5 (18.2 overs)
What a difference a week can make. Heading into the last rounds of the T20s winless we were playing for pride, and we finished the day with plenty to be proud of. Our first game against OBC at Elmwood Park saw OBC win the toss and elect to bat first. At 39 for 1 after five overs it had looked to be a good decision, but then came a couple of really good overs from Gaurav Jadhav (2 for 16 off 3.5) to tighten the screws and put the pressure back on the batters. Our fielding was superb in backing up our bowling and taking any chances given. At 70 for 2 after 10, OBC were still looking like posting a sizable score, but in came Richard Howe (3 for 20 off 4) for the first time in the T20s. Other than an initial loosener, Rich bowled brilliantly and took a key wicket in his first over to swing the momentum our way. Ryan Lightfoot (3 for 27 off 4) came back into the attack after his opening spell and kept the pressure on, taking 2 more wickets. We bowled OBC out for 120 in the final over.
Our chase started with confidence and power as Freddie Windsor drove the very first ball through the covers for 4. That set the tone for the day as we showed up with confidence and clear heads, determined to finally seize a game and see it through to a win. From there, there were numerous contributions starting with Alistair Derry who made a very nice run-a-ball 29 in partnership with Ajith Shetty. When that partnership was broken in the 13th over we required 57 more for victory. I joined Ajith at the crease and started well, hitting my first ball over the bowlers head for 4. Myself and Ajith were patient and calm as we worked together to chip off the total, our partnership of 48 from 30 balls broke the back of the chase. Following my dismissal, Gaurav came in and hit a couple of boundaries to win the game, with Ajith at the other end 38* from 31, anchoring our innings brilliantly.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/mens-division-2-red/game-centre/679d6854
Merivale Papanui 161-9 (20 overs)
Sydenham 164-5 (18.1 overs)
Our second game against Merivale Papanui saw us yet again bowling first, this time with approximately 3.5 bowlers. This was evident when Merivale raced to 55 for 1 after 6. But then again came Richard Howe (2 for 21 off 4) removing an in-batter with a sharp caught and bowled. Rich continued to bowl brilliantly at one end as I pondered over who was going to be our fifth bowler for the game. The answer came by no other than the ever-persistent Freddie, who had very subtly suggested he was loose and ready to bowl the whole day leading up to that point. Freddie started brilliantly, conceding just the six runs from his first over. I kept him on and despite taking some tap in his later overs, he bowled well enough to end with figures of 2 for 31 from 4. Merivale ended their innings on 161.
Ajith Shetty
Our chase started slowly, losing a wicket and only making 13 runs in our first three overs. However, what happened next was a perfect demonstration of how to go about chasing a good total. The same confidence from earlier in the day was again evident as Freddie and the tactically promoted Cameron Spriggs set about forming a partnership and getting themselves in. They took the 4th over for 10 and the 5th for 15 with some clean striking and good running. The following overs were tough, with just 18 coming from the next three overs, but they both showed great composure and knew they could make up the run rate if they were both there at the crease.
Freddie Winsor
The following five overs were taken for 56, and we were right in the game when Freddie was dismissed for a brilliant 60 from 47, requiring 50 more from seven overs. Muzz was dismissed soon after for a well-made 39 from 34, leaving us needing another decent partnership to get the job done. Then stepped up Alistair and debutant Finn Hill who both remained composed and struck beautifully. Alistair was run out after an unfortunate mix-up, but not before making a crucial 16 from 8. Finn then hit a four off the first ball of the 19th over to finish 18* from 11, sealing a 5-wicket win.
Cameron Spriggs
Two brilliant games consisting of tidy fielding and contributions from bat and ball from everyone, which set up two great results. Everyone should be proud of their efforts and contributions, no matter how small. Great to get the rewards after playing some good cricket without luck over the past few weeks. Confidence is key and we certainly have that now heading into the one day competition.
Division 3 Tamils XI – WON
Match report courtesy of Dinesh Raja
Lancaster Park 130 ()25.5 overs)
Sydenham 131-6 (31 overs)
Sydenham Division 3 Tamil XI played Lancaster Park Division at Woolston Park. Sydenham won the toss and elected to field first, a decision that set the tone for a strong all-round team performance. Lancaster Park was bowled out for 130 in 26 overs, with Sydenham applying pressure from the outset. The innings began with an excellent fielding effort, as Gopinath Karuppiah produced a direct hit run out to claim the first wicket, providing an early breakthrough.
The bowlers then took control, with Rajendran Parthipan picking up two key wickets before the break, putting Lancaster Park under sustained pressure. Niranjan Mani led the attack superbly with an outstanding spell of 5 for 28, well supported by Arunravi Ravindranathan (2 for 21) and tight bowling from Chidambaram Palaniappan.
In reply, Sydenham’s chase was built with composure. Dinesh Raja Chandran anchored the top order, while Niranjan Mani, batting at one down, formed a solid partnership with him to provide early stability.
The middle order of Rajendran Parthipan, John Emmanuel and Arunravi Ravindranathan ensured the innings stayed on track. Arun’s batting was particularly solid, as he finished 26 not out off 52 balls, showing patience and good awareness under pressure.
Man of the Match – Arunravi Ravindranathan was deservedly awarded Man of the Match for his all-round performance, contributing with two wickets and a calm, unbeaten innings that guided Sydenham through the chase.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/mens-division-3/game-centre/b3f1ee03
Division 4 Goats – WON
Match report courtesy of Paddy Wickes
Sydenham 233-8 (40 overs)
Lancaster Park 192-9 (40 overs)
The Goats took on Lancaster Park Tyrants on Centennial Park 2. Jon won another toss for the season and decided to have a bat with the pitch looking good and the outfield lightning fast.
We thought the innings started off on the wrong foot first ball of the game when Joe Taylor hit one to the keeper, however he believed it was a bump ball and the game continue. Small partnerships to start as we were 17 for 2 when George and Joe put on 54 for the 3rd wicket until Joe was finally out on 32. George continued till he was out 23 just before drinks, where we were 104 for 4, our best start to the season. Drinks started off with the fear of magpies when Geordie Dann decided to pick up a baby magpie to put in a tree. However, this annoyed the parents, and they started swooping us, putting us on edge for the rest of the innings. A small partnership kept building till the 8th wicket, where Ollie Phillpot and Chris Douglas put on a masterclass of lower-order batting. They got us to 221 until Chris sacrificed himself when he was run out on 34. Ollie required 5 to get his 50 with 5 balls left when Paddy came to the crease. Ollie got this down to 2 from 2 where he hit one straight up to mid-wicket. However, by the time the catch was dropped, the pair had already come back for the second, allowing Ollie to get his 50. Innings ended 233 for 8 with Ollie top scorer on 54 not out.
We went into the field knowing what was needed to win. Quick damage was done when we had them 3 for 15 with a wicket each for Paddy and Chris and a run out to George. However, a big partnership started for Park, and they went to drinks at 79 for 3. After the resumption, Ollie again stepped up and bowled a beautiful spell, breaking the 105 partnership. Regular wickets after this kept them out of the game. Eventually, after their forty overs, the Goats had won by 41 runs. Ollie was the top bowler with 4 for 35.
Good to be back in the winner’s circle with a big game next week against Burnside on the same pitch
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/mens-division-4/game-centre/7ee63cfc
Division 4 Royal Challengers – WON
Match report courtesy of Lathish TM
BWU 40 (21.5 overs)
Sydenham 44-2 (6.4 overs)
Sydenham played BWU on Burnside Park 4. BWU won the toss and elected to bat.
BWU endured a difficult batting performance, struggling to build partnerships against a disciplined Sydenham bowling attack. Early wickets fell cheaply, with the top order collapsing to 1 for 1 and then 3 for 1, putting immediate pressure on the middle order. Jonathan Collins (11 off 32) and a fill-in batter (8 off 35) attempted to steady the innings, but regular wickets continued to fall. Amrinder Singh was the standout bowler, claiming 4 wickets for 20 runs, well supported by Trusharkumar Desai, Ajith Sudhakaran and Anirudh Rathore. Sharp fielding by the team further restricted scoring opportunities.
BWU were bowled out for 40 runs in 21.5 overs. The top Sydenham bowlers were: Amrinder Singh: 6–0–20–4. Trusharkumar Desai: 5–2–5–1 and Ajith Sudhakaran: 5–1–10–1
Chasing a modest target of 41, Sydenham approached the innings positively. An unbeaten Karamjeet Singh opener dominated the chase with a fluent 36 off 23 balls*, striking seven boundaries and ensuring there were no complications. Although two wickets fell along the way, the target was reached comfortably. Sujith Ajayan remained unbeaten at the other end as Sydenham completed the chase in 6.4 overs, finishing on 44 for 2. Top Scorers: Karamjeet Singh: 36* (23 balls), shyam Karuthedath Narayanankutty: 4 (5 balls)
Sydenham Div 4 Royal Challengers won by 8 wickets. A dominant all-round performance from Sydenham, highlighted by disciplined bowling and an aggressive, composed run chase.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/cmca-adult-summer-202526/mens-division-4/game-centre/8e0a71a0
Division 5 All-Stars – LOST
Match report courtesy of Abe Atherton
Southern Districts 169 (31.3 overs)
Sydenham 115 (38.4 overs)
SDCC Nepal United won the toss and elected to bat first at Beckenham Park #1. Sydenham made an excellent start with the ball, as Jaedyn Ward and Abraham Atherton applied immediate pressure in the opening spell. Ward was the chief destroyer, claiming two wickets and a run out in his opening six overs while conceding very few runs. Atherton bowled tidily at the other end and, although he went wicketless early, he contributed in the field with an exceptional one-handed catch off Ward’s bowling to claim the third wicket. Nepal United found themselves in trouble at one stage, but were able to recover by capitalising on some short-length bowling and sub-par fielding to add valuable runs.
The middle and lower order was kept in check through consistent wicket-taking. Chase Barnsley and Dupinder Saroya both picked up two wickets each, with Barnsley bowling two batters and Saroya bowling one, while Atherton took a boundary catch to secure Saroya’s second wicket. Koster returned for his second spell and made an immediate impact, removing the in-form batter with a regulation catch to wicketkeeper Andrew Reynolds before following it up with a clean-bowled dismissal. Atherton then returned briefly to the popping crease and wrapped up the innings, taking the tenth wicket with a catch to Sumedha Senarathna. Nepal United were eventually dismissed for 169 in 31.3 overs. The bowling figures read: Ward 8–1–18–2, Koster 6–0–31–2, Barnsley 4–0–28–2, Saroya 4–0–38–2, Atherton 5.3–3–5–1.
The All-Stars’ reply did not get off to the start they were hoping for, with Ward falling early and wickets continuing to tumble in quick succession. Koster and Barnsley showed resilience and grit to steady the innings and rebuild some momentum, but Koster was eventually dismissed for a hard-earned 23. Barnsley continued to battle and form partnerships, before falling for 29. Dupinder Saroya fought to the end and was left stranded on 25 not out after the final wicket fell, with Sydenham all out for 115 in 36.4 overs.
Unfortunately, the match was marred by allegations of cheating from Nepal United, who suggested the Sydenham side was adding runs. The incident highlighted the importance of accurate scoring, with Sydenham recording their innings in both a scorebook and on a tablet, while Nepal United refused to score in the Sydenham scorebook during their innings.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/cmca-adult-summer-202526/mens-division-4/game-centre/8e0a71a0
T20 Cavaliers Cardinals – LOST
Match report courtesy of Adrian Patchett
Sydenham 98-8 (19 overs)
Riccarton 100-4 (13.3 overs)
Sydenham Cardinals vs Riccarton Misfits at Yaldhurst Domain #1
The Cardinals batted first and were pinned down early by some tight Misfit bowling. Wickets fell early, putting the Cardinals under pressure, but a solid partnership between Cam Rennell (39) and Josh Wieland (20) managed to drag the score through to a defendable but subpar total of 98. On this occasion, Cam pretty much carried the bat, coming to the crease on the third ball of the innings and being the last man out in the 19th over.
In the second innings, the Cardinals produced some tight bowling of their own, resulting in a couple of early wickets. Unfortunately, this early pressure didn’t amount to much as Riccarton cruised home with seven overs to spare. Manny Robert was the pick of the bowlers on the day, taking two wickets for 15 runs off his four overs.
The Cardinals will be looking for a better performance next week in the annual Hawaiian shirt Christmas game (opponent and venue TBC).
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/cavaliers-section-red-t20/game-centre/fcff9b62
T20 Gujarat Kings – WON
Match report courtesy of Yash Patel
Sydenham 191-4 (20 overs)
Halswell 122-8 (17.3 overs)
Sydenham Gujarat Kings played the Halswell Tigers at the Polo Grounds. Sydenham T20 Gujarat Kings delivered a commanding all-round performance to defeat Halswell T20 by 69 runs.
Batting first after losing the toss, Gujarat Kings posted a strong 191/4 in 20 overs. The innings was powered by a brilliant knock from Captain Yash Patel, smashing 53 off just 19 balls before retiring not out. He was well supported by Arya Baxi, who anchored the innings with a classy 41 off 32 balls*, and Keyur Patel, who added a vital 40 off 30 deliveries to keep the momentum going.
Defending the total, the Kings’ bowlers were outstanding, restricting Halswell Tigers to 122/8 in 17.3 overs. Yash Patel led from the front with the ball as well, claiming two wickets, while Smit Patel also picked up two wickets. Tight spells from Dhaval Patel and Arya Baxi ensured the pressure never eased, sealing a comprehensive victory.
A complete team effort and another strong statement from the Gujarat Kings this season
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/cavaliers-section-black-t20/game-centre/acbab3d8
Masters Hospital – WON
Masters Cardinals – LOST
Match report courtesy of Bert Walker
Sydenham Hospital 190-8 (40 overs)
Sydenham Cardinals 185 (40 overs)
As today was club day for the Masters Grade, all the matches were played at Mandeville and our thanks to Ohoka for their fine organisation of this occasion.
It was a sunny day, although with an increasingly cool easterly wind, and our grass pitch played pretty well, although on occasion with more bounce than expected.
The Hospital team batted first and their openers Mark Crawford (31, 3 x 4) and Tim Suddaby (26, 3 x 4) got them off to a good start, going at 5’s an over and putting on 53 for the first wicket, before “Golden Arm” Paul Matthews came on and his first ball, a short one, was smacked by Tim straight to Mark Stevens at deep mid wicket. After that Paul and Mark both bowled well and accurately and managed to peg the run rate back a bit, Hospital still promisingly placed at 83/2 at drinks. After this Flem bowled a very good spell but with little luck, as 3 catches were dropped off him. Bruce Day held the middle order together with a very well compiled 45 (5 x 4) as others came and went, some adding some valuable runs as Hospital eventually compiled 190/8.
We didn’t help our cause though with 8 dropped catches (between 4 players), although only one was an easy chance and most of the others were between difficult to very hard. And we also conceded 21 extras, mainly byes and wides – James did some great takes and stops standing up behind the stumps, but on occasion was beaten by the bounce of the ball or some wayward leg side bowling. Best of our bowlers were Flem 8 0 32 2, Mark Stevens 8 0 39 2 and Paul Matthews 5 1 10 2.
Paul Matthews and Paul Bennett opened for us and Paul M hit the 1st ball for what looked like an easy 2, but poor PB could barely run 1, as his back seized up – he had made some brave stops and good chases during quite a busy time in the field, but now had to retire hurt without facing a ball. So Phil W joined Paul M, who in his usual aggressive fashion took plenty of risks, missed a few but in between times kept the score ticking over at 6s, with several powerful boundaries including 1 massive 6 high up the trees. While Phil was content to play himself in and build an innings. Matt Gilling came on with his high and well flighted leggies and Paul reverse swept him for a couple of 4’s to go to 51 (1x 6, 8 x 4). But then he tried this shot again to a straighter ball and only miscued a simple catch to their keeper, Liam Suddaby, at 84/1.
James also miscued one of Matt’s deliveries to be easily caught, then Paul Smith (who had bowled keenly and fielded well) played on, at drinks we were 104/3 – but effectively 4 down, as the struggling PB had understandably left with Bev to get respite/treatment. So the game was well poised, with our main hopes resting with Phil, who was now well set and batting beautifully. Ammar was batting with a runner (Paul Smith) and looking solid, he had put on 32 with Phil before Paul tried to take a short single that was never on (to get Phil back on strike) and Ammar was run out through no fault of his own. Phil was playing some lovely shots all round the wicket, but at 151 he was stumped off an enticingly flighted ball from Matt for 74 (10 x 4). The run rate then started to climb, including a couple of maidens, then in Matt’s last over Mark was also stumped, then Bert holed out to cover 2 balls later – to give Matt a very well deserved bag. So 159/7 and Anak (who’d come in at 8, after tweaking a hammy in the field) was also batting with a runner (Phil W) – we were starting to catch up with the Black Caps in numbers of injuries!!
Anak was hitting out when he could, but they were bowling accurately, and Flem was finding the bowling hard to get away. Thirty-one were needed off the last three overs, and a very good maiden by Richard McKinlay then seemed to have totally scuppered our chances, but Anak hit 2 powerful 4s in the penultimate over, which cost 13, so just 18 needed off the last over! Flem played a good shot to get Anak on strike, who then hit a low skimming six over long on off Richard and got the next two balls away for 2’s, 7 needed off 2. But next ball good fielding saw Phil W run out coming back for a 2nd, so Anak gone for 25 (1 x 6, 3 x 4). Out strode Jules with a chance to make history, no pressure at all! Richard though was up to the job and bowled a good ball that Jules was unable to hit, so we had lost a very good game by 5 runs on the last ball.
Best of their bowlers was Matt, with the standout figures of 8 0 32 5 (including the 2 big wickets of Paul M and Phil W). While he was well supported by Tristan Pettit, who after his first 2 overs had gone for 18, had 8 2 31 0. Rick Mukherjee (8 1 36 0) and John Hampton (7 1 27 1) also bowled well, while Liam behind the stumps got 3 dismissals and was involved in 2 run outs. For us Paul M, Phil W and Anak had got 150 runs between them, but the next highest score was just 7* by Flem.
As always after a close finish there are always what ifs, but congratulations to Hospital, who put in a good all around effort and James duly presented the Noel Moorhead Trophy to Bruce, who both spoke well.
Then it was into the Ohoka clubrooms to enjoy the excellent camaraderie very present there (with all the other teams having already finished) and the speeches, to round off a very overall enjoyable afternoon of cricket at this lovely big ground.
Full scoreboard: https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/christchurch-metro-cricket-associationcjca/summer-202526/joes-garage-masters/game-centre/701c2473
Women’s Division 1 Red – LOST
Match report courtesy of …
North West 118-5 (20 overs)
Sydenham 50-8 (13.3 overs)
TBA
Women’s Division 1 Blue– LOST
Match report courtesy of …
Sydenham 104-4 (20 overs)
Selwyn Wahine 109-1 (9.4 overs)
TBA
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