CRICKET - Smith half-century boosts City chances

Ben Smith set up City for an impressive total when Whangarei junior cricket got under way on Saturday.
Ben scored a half century as City recorded 154 for seven wickets declared and 17 for two against Maungakaramea on the first day of two-day matches in the A grade.
David Armitt and Flynn Hart took two wickets each as City dismissed Maungakaramea for 44.
Kamo, with Dylan Jakicevich, 28 not out, and Daniel Ridgley, 28, to the fore, took an eight-run lead in the first innings against Onerahi-Central. Onerahi declared at 82 for five with Keely Johnson unbeaten on 31.
Mitchell Reader scored double figures and took three wickets for three runs against Kamo Red in their C grade match. City went on to win the game by 27 runs.
Quinn Pooley, 4-5, was the standout player for City Yovich in their win over City Hopkins in the D grade.
Results.-
A Grade: (Day one of two-day games)
City 154 for seven wkts dec (Ben Smith 50, Daniel Robertson 34, David Armitt 12; Simon Crowther 2/29) and 17 for two wkts lead on first innings v Maungakaramea 44 (David Armitt 2/4, Flynn Hart 2/18).
Kamo 90 for four wkts (Dylan Jakicevich 28 n.o., Daniel Ridgley 28, Jacob Cherrington 18; Fletcher Coutts 2/7) lead on first innings v Onerahi-Central 82 for five wkts. dec. (Keely Johnson 31 n.o., Cam Pilmer 23; Adam Ogle 2/12, Ethan Anon 2/7)
B Grade: City Red 98 for two wkts (Henry Williams 21 ret., Jordan Stirling 12 n.o., Drake Nicholas 11 n.o.) bt Kamo Black 73 for six wkts.
City White 89 for five wkts. (Josh Taylor 12 n.o., Sam Cloutman 10 n.o.) bt City Gold 62 (Mach Jones 17; Brad Lamb 2/11).
Kamo White bt Maungakaramea by default.
C Grade: City Gold 54 (Mitchell Reader 13, Joshua Woest 12, Jordan Harwood 10) bt Kamo Red (Mitchell Reader 3/3, Joshua Woest 3/3, Conor Lynch 3/9, Daniel Davis 2/0, Finn Trimble 2/1, Jordan Harwood 2/4, Noah-John Woest 2/4).
Kamo White 61 (Lewis Miller 10) bt City Blue 12 (Fraser MacKinlay 4/1, Finnian Smith 3/0, Adam Salmon 3/2, Caleb Boswell-Smith 2/2).
D Grade: City Yovich 52 (Dillon Balasingham 11, Ben Templeton 11; Christopher Wilson 2/4) bt City Hopkins 36 (Declan Lynch 12, Ned Saunders 12; Quinn Pooley 4/5).