Selwyn Times: November 27, 2019

SELWYN TIMES Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Wednesday November 27 2019 25
Title-holders in trouble
• By Jacob Page
LEESTON-Southbridge’s defence
of the Canterbury Country
premier twenty20 cricket title is
in early trouble after two losses
on Saturday.
With all teams missing the
Canterbury Country representative
players who were playing
Otago A, both Southbrook and
Sefton were able to take advantage
to topple the competition
favourites.
Southbrook and Weedons were
the two teams who won both
matches on Saturday.
Southbrook won their encounter
by five wickets while Sefton
won by one run.
Thirty-seven from Luan Blom
helped Southbrook to 118 for
nine, which proved too much for
Leeston-Southbridge who could
only muster 88 for six in reply.
Sefton were able to defend 112
for seven by the narrowest of
margins with Leeston-Southbridge’s
Kirk Doyle run out for a
duck off the final ball.
Leeston-Southbridge captain
Toby Doyle said with the team
missing eight players from their
previous match against Darfield,
they struggled for momentum
with the bat in particular.
Southbrook won both their
games, as they added a win over
Oxford in their second round
fixture.
Weedons also went two for
two after a five-wicket win over
• By Jacob Page
BATTING will be
Canterbury Country’s
major focus ahead of their
first Hawke Cup game next
month after a tough two
games against Otago A at
Rangiora’s Main Power
Oval over the weekend.
Otago A got the better
of Canterbury Country
across the two matches,
winning the 50-over encounter
on Friday by four
wickets and controlling the
drawn two-day fixture on
Saturday and Sunday.
Canterbury Country
will start their Hawke Cup
campaign against Buller in
Westport on December 8
and 9.
Canterbury Country
coach Michael Sharpe said
his team did not make the
most of the opportunities
created with the bat but
believed the preparation
was excellent ahead of the
Hawke Cup campaign,
“We had guys make
starts, but we just didn’t
carry on with it or get the
big contributions we were
looking for.
“I thought we bowled
well at times on a flat track
but we just didn’t get the
runs we needed.’’
Canterbury Country
scored 216 for seven in
their 50 overs thanks to 60
from Harry Chamberlain
TOUGH TIMES: Leeston
Southbridge captain Toby
Doyle said his team could not
find the momentum with the
bat they needed on Saturday
after they suffered two
twenty20 defeats. ​
Darfield and an 11-run win over
Cheviot.
Weedons captain Sam Wilson
said with the top-order fronting
in both games and the added
bowling option of Jack Porter,
Country fail to capitalise
IMPRESSIVE: Harry Chamberlain made meaningful
contributions in both matches against Otago A over
the weekend.
PHOTO: CANTERBURY COUNTRY CRICKET ASSN ​
and 56 from Ben Hartland.
The pair combined for
a 116-run third wicket
partnership.
Canterbury Country
were unable to make the
most of the platform as
they only managed 60 runs
from the final 17 overs as
Otago A kept chipping
away with regular wickets
which stalled the run rate.
Otago A openers Camden
Hawkins (62) and Brad
Kneebone (80) shared in a
143-run opening stand.
Canterbury Country
fought back to make the
run chase a tense one,
thanks in part to four
wickets from quick bowler
Arafat Bhuiyan but Otago
A got the target with three
wickets and 13 balls to
confidence was high.
Brad Nightingale made 62 to
against Darfield to anchor their
pursuit of 129 for victory.
It was a tough day for Darfield
who also lost to Lincoln by seven
wickets.
It was a bounce-back win for
Lincoln who had lost their round
one fixture to Cheviot by seven
wickets.
Southbrook beat Oxford by five
wickets to be unbeaten for the
day.
The 45-over competition
returns on Saturday, with the
twenty20 competition coming
back on December 7.
Lincoln will host Oxford at
Lincoln Domain, Sefton welcome
Cheviot, Darfield travel to
Weedons and Leeston-Southbridge
will have home conditions
against Southbrook.
Round one premier twenty20
competition:
Southbrook beat Leeston-
Southbridge by 30 runs.
Cheviot beat Lincoln by seven
wickets.
Oxford beat Sefton by 50 runs.
Weedons beat Darfield by five
wickets.
Round two:
Sefton beat Leeston-Southbridge
by one run.
Lincoln beat Darfield by seven
wickets.
Weedons beat Cheviot by 11
runs.
Southbrook beat Oxford by five
wickets.
spare.
The Canterbury Country
batsmen struggled to
occupy the crease in the
two-day fixture.
Otago A amassed 274
all out batting first with
Hawkins adding 51 and
wicket-keeper Max Chu
adding 84 at No 6.
Bhuiyan, Jed Roberts and
Tim Gruijters each took
three wickets for the hosts.
Canterbury Country
replied with 172 all out.
Hartland (32), Chamberlain
(30) and Will
Hamilton (33) all got starts
but none were able to make
a big score.
Following on,
Canterbury Country were
71 for three when the
match was called a draw.
Tough weekend for karter
• By Jacob Page
LINCOLN KARTER Jacob
Douglas had lady luck desert
him at the USA Super Nationals
in Las Vegas last weekend.
The 14-year-old was considered
one of the favourites before
the weekend, but qualifying
issues and a disqualification
hampered his charge.
The event, in its 23rd year, is
the most prestigious of its kind
in North America.
Jacob drove for the factory
Aluminos team in two classes,
KA100 and X30 junior classes.
The X30 started in rough
fashion with rain falling on the
circuit making practice challenging.
Teams and drivers had to
choose between wets or slicks
for qualifying and Douglas and
his team chose wet tyres.
Unfortunately, a delay on the
grid meant the track had time
to dry and with the extra grip
no longer needed, Jacob had to
BATTLE:
Lincoln’s
Jacob Douglas
(699) had a
frustrating
weekend at
the USA Super
Nationals in
Las Vegas. ​
settle for 35th on the grid for the
heats.
He consistently made his way
through half the field in the
three heats but was disqualified
in the third heat which ended
his chances of making the final.
Qualifying proved just as
difficult in the KA100 where he
managed 29th out of 46 cars but
the quest for clean racing air
was difficult and his chance of a
podium spot dashed.
Jacob’s father, Craig Douglas
said it had been a challenging
weekend but that was the nature
of motorsport.
“We’ve had such a dominant
season, but that’s how luck can
go at times and we will just
have to come back stronger next
year.”
Mr Douglas said his son
was likely to spend half the
year overseas next year as they
looked to race in Europe on top
of the Junior Australian Kart
Championships which begin in
January.
SENIOR RUGBY COACHING STAFF
SENIOR RUGBY COACHING STAFF
The Southern Rugby Club of Mid Canterbury is seeking
The expressions Southern Rugby of interest Club to fill of their Mid senior Canterbury team coaching is seeking
expressions of interest positions to for fill the their 2020 season senior team coaching
This season the
positions
Southern Stags
for
were
the
joint
2020
winners
season.
of the Luisetti Seeds
Combined Competition however due to new business commitments the
This season, the Southern Stags were joint winners of the
current coaching staff have sadly decided to stand down.
Luisetti Seeds Combined Competition, however due to new
business
Southern
commitments
is a great country
the
run
current
club with huge
coaching
support
staff
from
have
our loyal
sadly
community. This year we celebrated 25 years of the successful merger
decided to stand down.
of Hinds and Mayfield rugby clubs.
Southern Expressions is a great of country interest to run Club club President with Phil huge Cushnie support at from
our loyal community. southernrfc@gmail.com This year or we phone celebrated 0274 399 25 555years of the
successful merger of Hinds and Mayfield rugby clubs.
Expressions of interest to Club President, Phil Cushnie at
southernrfc@gmail.com or
phone 0274 399 555.