Selwyn Times: January 22, 2020

12 Wednesday January 22 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Kerr geared up for one
more crack at national title
SPORT
• By Allan Batt
VETERAN SPEEDWAY racer
David Kerr believes he has one
more big weekend left in him
ahead of the 78 th New Zealand
midget car championship which
begins at Ruapuna Speedway on
Friday.
Kerr, who lives in Southbridge,
is the South Island’s
most successful midget car racer
with eight South Island titles to
his credit and he finished third
in the national midget car title
race at Ruapuna in 2015.
The 48-year-old said this is
likely to be his last shot at a
national title in the class.
“The body is starting to tell
me that its ready for a break,” he
said.
“I started racing junior saloons
at Ellesmere 30 years ago and you
start looking at all these young
guys and wonder how many
more laps I can squeeze in.
“Lawn bowls could be the go.
“I’ve had a few moments for
sure, but it’s always part and
parcel of trying and racing hard.
We all want to win. We all want
to go hard and fast but sometimes
you have to step over the
READY: David Kerr is aiming for his first national midget car
title to go with eight South Island titles at Ruapuna Speedway
this weekend.
PHOTO: BRIAN HOPPING
line a bit.”
Kerr rates defending New
Zealand champion Michael
Pickens, of Auckland, as having
a huge chance of retaining the
title but is confident the Canterbury
drivers will make a good
account of themselves.
“We might miss that knifeedge
action and tough competition
but we will give them a
pretty good fight.”
Friday night’s programme will
see each driver contesting three
heat races and on Saturday night
they will do two more.
Just 20 of the 43 entrants will
contest the final.
Leeston-Southbridge
beaten by Sefton
• By Jacob Page
SEFTON BEAT competition
leaders Leeston-Southbridge
on Saturday to keep their
Canterbury Country premier
45-over cricket semi-final hopes
alive.
Sefton got home by two
wickets at Southbridge Domain,
chasing 154 for victory, with
the result strengthening their
grip on fifth and keeping them
one win outside the top four
currently occupied by Lesston-
Southbridge, Southbrook, Oxford
and Cheviot.
In other results, Lincoln
prevailed over Weedons by nine
wickets at Lincoln Domain,
thanks to left-arm spinner Jeremy
Benton claiming four for 11 from
his eight overs which restricted
Weedons to 104 all out.
A century from Will Hamilton
helped Cheviot to a 110-run
victory over Darfield.
Hamilton’s 114 helped the hosts
make 278 for five which proved
SELWYN TIMES
too much for Darfield who were
bowled out for 168 in the 38th
over, at Darfield Domain.
Right-arm medium-fast bowler
Fergus Fairbairn ripped through
Southbrook to take six for 31,
as Oxford defended 217 all out
at Pearson Park by skittling
Southbrook for just 72.
Round 11 fixtures will see
Darfield host Lincoln, Cheviot
welcome Southbrook, Leeston-
Southbridge travel to take
on third-placed Oxford and
Sefton await Weedons at Sefton
Domain.
Leeston-Southbridge also
lost their national twenty20
Canterbury region qualifier to
Lancaster Park by 18 runs at
Hagley Park on Sunday.
Lancaster Park made 126 for
seven with Tim Gruijters taking
two for 16 but the visitors were
unable to chase it down, being
restricted 108 for six with Harry
Chamberlain making 28 and
Toby Doyle 26.
IMPACT:
Lincoln spinner
Jeremy Benton
took four for
11 to help his
team to a nine
wicket win over
Weedons on
Saturday.