Williams century in vain for WBHS

City questioned their decision to send Whangarei Boys High in to bat first at Cobham Oval briefly when Ben Williams struck 111 to get his first ton for his side in the Lion Red one-day competition.
During Saturday's match, the Boys High player/coach hit seven fours and two sixes to make his mark in last season's one-day championship winning team. Williams opened alongside Bradley Kneebone, who hit 39 before he was out lbw to Chris Page. The pair formed a solid partnership of 104 and following Kneebone's dismissal, Williams had a good run with first drop Henry Cooper, who made 26.
The schoolboys had made 167 with only two wickets falling when City's bowlers struck back.
Williams was run out while trying to take a quick single with Tom Herman.
Herman and the rest of the middle and lower order batsmen fell quickly to City bowlers Richard Atkins, Kieron Nelson and Jamie Kay. Boys High set City a target of 231 in their 50 overs, with one wicket to spare.
After a great start with the ball where Aiden Miller dismantled the top order taking 3-18, Chris Page (69) and Atkins (61) steadied the ship until Fraser Seymour took two wickets in quick succession.
With nine down for 217, tail-ender Keiron Nelson (2) stuck with middle order batsman Harry Darkins (30) to rustle up the 15 runs required for City to win the game, with 2.8 overs to spare.
At Kaipara Flats, Kamo sent their hosts in to bat first. Brett Hood and Tauseef Satti were in form, hitting 61 and 76 respectively, making a partnership of 140. Hood knocked seven fours, while Satti hit six fours and one six. Michael O'Flaherty (26) and Arun Charles (21) were the other main contributors to Kaipara's score of 249-9.
Kamo were restricted to 160 runs in 45.3 overs, by a strong Kaipara attack.
Matthew Taylor took 3-23, while Jake Phillips was next best with the ball with his 3-25.
At Maungakaramea, the hosts defeated Donovans Tradezone Onerahi Central by 83 runs.
Batting first, Maungakaramea's middle and lower order batsmen stepped up after their openers Dean Child was dismissed for 19, Mark Southee was out for 4 and David Croucher was run out for three runs.
Skipper Jason Morgan chipped in a handy 28, while Harry Taffs hit 35.
David Heappey hit two sixes in his 32 runs and Kurtley Watson was on 32 not out when the last wicket fell with Maungakaramea on 190.
Maungakaramea bowlers then made short work of Onerahi Central's batting line up, with a standout performance by James Merry who took 4-19, limiting their visitors to 117 in just 32.2 overs.
The fifth and final round of the Lion Red Premier One-Day Competition is on November 20. Next Saturday, round one of the Mark Cromie Holden Premier One Day Competition gets under way.