Valley retained its Borton Cup lead going into the final round of qualifying play next weekend with a 155 run win over Waitaki Boys High School at Milner Park. Union moved into second place equal with Albion when it beat Oamaru at Whitestone number two by one wicket while St Kevin's College gave itself a chance of making the top four with a 17 run win over Albion in a high scoring game at Awamoa Park.
Valley won the toss and batted first against Waitaki Boys and lost early wickets to be 19 for two after nine overs. Matt Pile(33) and Byron Neil(52) turned the side around to 122 for four after 29 overs. A half century from all-rounder David Simpson saw Valley eventually dismissed for 241 in the 49th over with Geoff Mavor(21) and Hamish McKenzie(22) adding invaluable runs down the order. Sean Todd took four for 39 for Waitaki Boys while Riley Rooney and Matt Day took two wickets each.
Waitaki Boys never built up any momentum with the bat and was dismissed in the 17th over for 86. McKenzie took six for 41 and Simpson two for 25.
St Kevin's College won the toss against Albion and assisted by a second wicket stand of 162 from Chris Smith(84) and Tim O'Malley(72) saw the College side through to 293 before the final wicket fell in the 47th over with Tim Gourlay adding 42 down the order. Dylan Winter and Darren Shillito took three wickets each for Albion.
Albion struggled early in its innings to be 133 for four after 27 overs with Peter Cartwright(31) and Marshall Smith(30) the best of the top order. It was left to all-rounder Paul O'Dell to lift the side with a superb innings of 95 with Winter chipping in with 43 before the side batted through its 50 overs to be 276 for nine, 18 runs short of victory. Matt Lilley, Smith and Gourlay took two wickets each for St Kevin's.
In a low scoring game Union beat Oamaru by a solitary wicket. Union asked Oamaru to bat first and apart from Nathan Mitchell(34) and Khalil(29 not out) the Oamaru batsmen showed little resistance and the side was dismissed for 144 in the 46th over. Duncan Drew and Paul Johnston took two wickets each for Union.
Union looked to be in bother at 39 for four after nine overs with David Sewell claiming two wickets and just missing a hat trick. Stubborn innings from Ben Sheat(32) and Paul Johnston(28) saw Union through to a nail-biting 145 for nine in the 44th over with Sewell taking four for 17 and a blast from the past, Mark Julius claimed two for 25.
The final round of Borton Cup qualifying play next weekend will be affected by North Otago's three day Hawke Cup challenge in Palmerston North against Manawatu.
Short Scorecard(s)
Senior - Borton Cup - Round 11
Union Senior vs Oamaru Senior at Excelsior 1
Oamaru Senior 144 ( N Mitchell 34, Khalil 29no, D Sewell 16, N Johnston 14, P. Johnston 2-18, D.J. Drew 2-24 )
Union Senior 145-9 ( B Sheat 32, P Johnston 28, D.G. Sewell 4-17, M. Julius 2-25 )
Union by 1 wicket
Valley Senior vs Waitaki Boys 1st XI at Milner Park 1
Valley Senior 241 ( D. Simpson 53, B. Neil 52, M. Pile 33, H. McKenzie 22, G. Mavor 21, S. Todd 4-39, R. Rooney 2-25, M. Day 2-44 )
Waitaki Boys 1st XI 86 ( H. McKenzie 6-41, D. Simpson 2-25 )
Valley by 155 runs
St Kevins 1st XI vs Albion Senior at Awamoa Park 1
St Kevins 1st XI 293 ( C. Smith 84, T.P. O'Malley 72, T. Gourlay 42, D. Shillito 3-40, D. Winter 3-55 )
Albion Senior 276-9 ( P.M. Odell 95, D. Winter 43, P. Cartwright 31, M. Smith 30, M. Lilley 2-22, T. Gourlay 2-34, C. Smith 2-44 )
St Kevins by 17 runs