After posting 191 against the reigning National Club Champions, a new look Ellerslie side may have sensed an early season upset was on the cards at Onewa Domain, but a remarkable 38-ball onslaught from Jordi Gibbens ensured Taka began their Jeff Crowe Cup defence in ominous fashion.
At 55-4 things weren't looking too good for Ellerslie, but new signing Sheldon Kearns combined with Matthew Wall in a 72-run fifth wicket partnership to get the visitors back on track. Kearns struck 8 fours and a pair of sixes in his debut half century, while Wall cleared the ropes on three occasions in a quickfire 43 from just 33 deliveries.
From this position Ellerslie looked set for a score in advance of 200 but some excellent fielding from the home side helped produce three run outs as the visitors were dismissed in the 42nd over.
Still, a total of 191 gave Ellerslie real hope until Jordi Gibbens brought them back to reality with a powerful display of stroke making. He was in no mood to hang around and proceeded to smash the visiting attack to all parts of Onewa Domain, striking 8 fours and 7 sixes before falling for a remarkable 86 in just the twelfth over.
Gibbens' opening partner Tony Manning was no slouch either as he cleared the ropes on four occasions en route to a half century on his Takapuna debut, but his innings, and the return of Craig Cachopa, was comprehensively overshadowed by Gibbens' extraordinary efforts.
A shell-shocked Ellerslie side had little response and the home side eased past the target inside 25 overs, exhibiting the type of firepower that led them to so much one-day success last season.
Ellerslie 191 (S Kearns 63, M Wall 43, M Considine 36) lost to Takapuna 192-3 (J Gibbens 86, T Manning 57) by seven wickets.
HRV Birkenhead City v Papatoetoe - Birkenhead War Memorial
HRV Birkenhead City pulled off the biggest upset of the opening day defeating last season's Major Championship runners-up Papatoetoe in convincing fashion at the War Memorial Ground.
Despite being without overseas player Paul Muchall or star all-rounder Darrin Crook, Birkenhead posted one of the highest totals of the day, amassing 243/7 against a strong visiting attack.
Captain Terry Crabb (34) and Andrew McCracken (42) got the ball rolling with a 59-run second wicket partnership before a superb middle-order display from youngster Vivek Tailor (54), keeper Allan Plant (38) and Rushit Botadra (29) helped the home side up to a commanding total.
The reply started well for Papatoetoe as Bhupinder Singh and Caleb Brookland (32) shared a 31-run opening stand but things went quickly downhill from there.
With Shane Singe, Lance Shaw and Ish Sodhi all missing from last year`s batting line-up the visitors struggled through the middle overs as Rutvik Botadra, Tailor and Paul Rainey claimed three wickets a piece. 32 extras from the Birkenhead bowlers helped the Papatoetoe cause, but the visitors were eventually dismissed 115 runs short of the target.
While the result may be seen as a surprise by some, Birkenhead are no strangers to toppling big name opposition as they were the only side to defeat last year`s finalists Suburbs New Lynn in the group stages of the 2011/12 competition.
Next week they face another stern test in Parnell, while Papatoetoe will host another side that suffered an opening round defeat in Auckland University.
HRV Birkenhead City 243/7 (V Tailor 54, A McCracken 42, A Plant 38, T Crabb 34) defeated Papatoetoe 128 (C Brookland 32, V Tailor 3-17, P Rainey 3-21, Rut Botadra 3-40).
ILG East Coast Bays v Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City - Freyberg Park
Despite some heroics from Waitakere's Aaron Jeavons, East Coast Bays got their season off to a perfect start thanks to a pair of new signings and some fine displays from some familiar faces.
New Bays coach Darren Dempsey showed his pedigree, which includes playing Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia, as he struck 3 sixes in a debut half century before another debutant, New Zealand Under 19 wicket-keeper Cameron Fletcher, scored 41 as Bays reached 186-7 in their 45 overs after the match was reduced due to rain.
Matt Mimmack was another batsman in form, scoring an unbeaten 44, but some solid bowling in the middle overs from Sheahan Huri (3-25) and Praneel Hira (2-26) helped keep the home side in check.
Waitakere have a new look top order this season with star batsmen Dusan Hakaraia and Daniel Morton having moved on, and they were in trouble early on against Donovan Deeble and Blair Smith. Richard Lane and Brad Schmulian then followed up with five wickets between them, but all the while Englishman Aaron Jeavons stood firm.
Jeavons struck 5 fours and 3 sixes while almost single-handedly keeping his side in the game, but when he became Bays' skipper Schmulian`s third victim the contest was as good as over. Jeavons 72, made from 98 balls, was far and away the highest score for the visitors, as they fell 38 runs short of their target.
ILG East Coast Bays 186-7 (D Dempsey 52, M Mimmack 44, C Fletcher 41, S Huri 3-25) defeated Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City 148 (A Jeavons 72, B Schmulian 3-31) by 38 runs.
Grafton United v Auckland University - Victoria Park
Last season's top two Premier cricket run scorers faced off in the opening game of the season at Victoria Park, and both picked up where they left off, but it was Dusan Hakaraia's 93 which made the difference for his new club Grafton United against Barrington Rowland`s Auckland University.
The new look home side, missing more than half the line-up which sealed the Minor Championship title in March, batted first and were held in check in the early stages thanks to a fine opening burst from debutant Josh Fisher who claimed the wicket of former University player Tom Miller.
But this only brought the destructive Hakaraia to the crease and the Grafton skipper was straight into his normal groove, cracking 11 fours and a six on his way to 93 made from just 80 balls. Hakaraia dominated a 152-run second wicket stand with Andy Lane who made a slightly more sedate half century before Sri Rajasekar (27 from 31) and Shikar Chartuvedi (27 from 23) maintained the rate and ensured Grafton would reach a commanding 253-6 from their 50 overs.
Uni`s reply got off to a fast start with skipper Marc Ellison racing to 33 from just 36 balls and sharing a 78-run opening stand with Rowland in just 11 overs. Once Ellison departed Rowland took control and when he and debutant Shameera Wijesooriya took the score to 129-3 in just 23 overs the visitors looked to be in the driving seat.
However, the introduction of Sri Rajasekar to the attack proved to be a master stroke as the medium-pacer dismissed both Rowland and Wijesooriya in quick succession.
With Rowland gone for a fine 62 the pressure was now back on the Varsity middle order. Vedant Zaveri went on the counter attack, striking 2 sixes in a 37- ball 41, and when Warren Barnes made a quickfire 27 it was game on again. But Jono Roberts held his nerve to claim the final two wickets and secure an opening day victory for the home side with 14 runs to spare.
Grafton United 253 (D Hakaraia 93, A Lane 57, V Jeet 3-27) defeated Auckland University 239 (B Rowland 62, V Zaveri 41, M Ellison 33, S Rajasekar 3-33) by 14 runs.
Cornwall v Parnell - Cornwall Park
It took 49 overs but Parnell timed their run chase to perfection to get their 2012/13 campaign underway with a victory.
Cornwall batted first after winning the toss but were in trouble early after losing Matt Davies and star import Rob Newton to Lochie Ferguson and Michael Ravlic respectively.
A 53-run third wicket partnership between skipper Sam Anderson (31) and Brad Chemaly (43) got the Cornwall innings back on track before some useful lower order runs from Teja Nidamanuru (28) and Sam McKenzie (23) helped the home side reach a respectable 178-8 from their 50 overs. Parnell' bowlers did a solid job with Ferguson, James Walsh and Jono Mar picking up two wickets apiece.
The visitors also got off to a bad start with Ben Horne and Kirk Bunting dismissed without scoring thanks to some superb quick bowling from New Zealand Under 19 player Matt Quinn, who claimed the outstanding figures of 2-16 from 10 overs.
But Ben Rae and Angus McLean then set about rebuilding the innings with a crucial 68-run partnership. After flying out of the blocks last season with some destructive performances Rae was more reserved on this occasion, but his 43 runs from 81 balls were crucial in helping bring his side back into the game. His partner McLean took a similarly measured approach, but after notching up a half century and looking all set to lead Parnell to victory, he fell victim to a run out.
With the game still in the balance newly contracted Aces player Lochie Ferguson displayed a cool head by striking a six and a four in an unbeaten 16 from just 10 balls, the impressive cameo securing victory for his side with just six balls remaining.
Cornwall 178/8 (B Chemaly 43, S Anderson 31) lost to Parnell 179/5 (A McLean 67, B Rae 45) by five wickets.
North Shore v HRV Howick Pakuranga - Vauxhall Road
An outstanding all-round display from Donovan Grobbelaar helped HRV Howick Pakuranga to an opening day victory over North Shore at Vauxhall Road.
The home side put on a solid, if unspectacular, batting display with five batsman making over 20, but despite good starts from Blair Parlane (35), Michael Olsen (25), Hamish Baker (24), the returning Gene Andrews (21) and debutant Matt Selby (20) no one could push on to a big score.
Grobbelaar did most of the damage with the ball, claiming 4-36, while new ball partner Greg Morgan chipped in with 3-33 as Shore were dismissed for 178 inside 49 overs.
Shore's bowlers made a dream start, the dismissal of Howick captain and star batsman Andrew De Boorder leaving the visitors reeling on 3-2. Greg Morgan and Wade Johnson tried their best to rebuild the innings, adding 40 for the third wicket, but when both were dismissed in quick succession the home side looked in control.
From 44-4 Howick slipped further to 66-5, but that was when Grobbelaar and Andrew Morrison entered the fray. With Shore looking all set to cause an upset the pair turned the game on its head with a memorable match winning partnership.
Morrison played the anchor role, scoring 44 from 68 balls, and when he was the next man dismissed he and his partner had added 109 for the sixth wicket. Grobbelaar remained unbeaten until the end finishing with 73 not out - an undoubted man of the match performance if ever there was one.
All six Shore bowlers took one wicket apiece, although that was little consolation for the home side after seeing a potential opening day victory slip from their grasp.
North Shore 178 (B Parlane 35, D Grobbelaar 4-36, G Morgan 3-33) lost to HRV Howick Pakuranga 179-6 (D Grobbelaar 73no, A Morrison 44) by four wickets
Eden Roskill v Suburbs New Lynn - Keith Hay Park
Last season the Jeff Crowe Cup was the only championship to allude the grasp of Suburbs New Lynn when they lost out to Takapuna in the final at Colin Maiden Park.
The one-day crown would have sealed an already remarkable season for the team from Ken Maunder Park who took out the T20 and Two-day Championships. At the other end of the scale were Eden Roskill who won only three times in any form of the game in 2011/12, so on paper the opening game of the new campaign looked like a mismatch.
Suburbs posted 213 first up, skipper Victor Davies and Michael Barry continuing their form of last season. The pair scored twelve half centuries between them in 2011/12 and both began the 2012/13 campaign in similar fashion as they each passed the 50 mark leaving Roskill with it all to do.
And when their top order failed against the Suburbs attack the one-sided match that many predicted looked likely to materialise. But Joe Castellino wasn't going to let his side go down quietly, and he struck some lusty blows on his way to a rapid half century to almost single-handedly bring his side in sight of an unlikely victory.
But when Castellino eventually fell for a splendidly defiant 61 it took the steam out of the home challenge and Suburbs quickly wrapped up the game with 27 runs to spare.
Suburbs New Lynn 213 defeated Eden Roskill 186 (I Castellino 61) by 27 runs.
Next week fixtures - Jeff Crowe Cup round two:
Barfoot & Thompson Waitakere City v Takapuna - Te Atatu Park
Grafton United v ILG East Coast Bays - Victoria Park
Papatoetoe v Auckland University - Papatoetoe Recreation Ground
Parnell v HRV Birkenhead City - Orakei Domain
HRV Howick Pakuranga v Cornwall - Lloyd Elsmore Park
Suburbs New Lynn v North Shore - Ken Maunder Park
Ellerslie v Eden Roskill - Michaels Ave
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