Northland Cricket's second 11 comfortably beat their opponents from Counties-Manukau at Kensington Park to put one hand on the Basil McBurney Trophy yesterday.
The Northland side has now beaten Hamilton, Bay of Plenty and Counties - the three top-ranked teams - and will win the development competition trophy if they defeat
Waikato Valley in the final match of the competition.
Northland CEO Gary Bell said it was a great win from a team largely made up of schoolboys.
"It's a job extremely well done for such a young team in a competition that Northland traditionally hasn't done that well in," he said.
"There's no doubt that we've got some talent coming through at the moment but credit must go to [coach and captain] Terry Duffin, who's proving to be the glue for this side and they've really come along under his watchful eye," Bell said.
Just three days after being named in the New Zealand under-17 side, Rory Darkins came up with another great all round performance to finish the match as the top-scorer and the top wicket taker.
Darkins took three wickets for 39 in his 10 overs, helping to knock over the top of the Counties innings and the rest of the bowlers completed the job to bowl Counties out for just 157 in 48.3 overs.
Jamie Miller (2/23/9) and Chris Page (2/37/6) and Nathan MacKenzie 2/20/9.3) were the other wicket takers in a disciplined bowling performance for each of the front line bowlers.
Needing just over three runs an over, there was little pressure on the Northland batsmen but Darkins, who opened the innings, went on to compile 46 not out. Page, batting at number-three hit a quickfire 30 with Duffin adding 37. Darkins was joined at the wicket by his older brother Harry (14no) and the pair took Northland to victory.
