Rance inspires victory

Gary Caffell
Wairarapa pace bowler Seth Rance inspired Greytown to inflict the first defeat on the Rathkeale Cricket Academy in the Wairarapa Cricket Association's Umpires Cup limited-overs competition at Greytown on Saturday, but not in the manner expected.
Rance actually came out of the game wicketless from his 10 overs as the Academy tried to chase down the 211 runs required for victory but earlier he had done the damage with the bat, scoring 94 of Greytown's 210.
It was a typically belligerent knock from Rance who was quick to smash any loose delivery to the boundary and with Duncan Didsbury (28), Willie Tatham (30) and Jacob Ross (17) providing solid support he saw Greytown through to a respectable total. Academy used seven bowlers in all with spinner Chad Yates having the most success with his 3-50 Steve Coleman took 2-20, Andy McElnea 2-27 and N. Hutchinson 2-20.
For about the first time this season the Academy batting effort lacked consistency with only Hutchinson, who came in at No.9, looking comfortable against the Greytown attack.
He was unbeaten on 49 when the last wicket fell with the score at 171.
In fact, the second highest score came from "Mr Extras" with 34.
Bowling for Greytown English medium pacer Ed Taylor finished with the excellent figures of 4-31 from 9.5 overs while Dean Southey took 2-31 and Brian James 2-16.
Red Star secured an exciting one-wicket win over Wairarapa College in their match played on a Queen Elizabeth Park oval pitch which again provided a tricky batting surface, particularly later in the game when the ball started to deviate sharply from a good length.
Wairarapa College batted first and were all out for 112 of which Daniel Ingham made a solid 32, Huib Van Vliet 23 and Sam Curtis 19.
Peter Sigvertson cleaned up the "tail" for Red Star in taking 3-4 from six overs while Brad Edwards took 2-6 and Carwyn Caffell 2-27.
With the pitch playing on the minds of the batsmen and the outfield slowed by persistent light rain the Wairarapa College total was never likely to be an easy get for Red Star but at 85-3 they looked home and hosed.
However, from there it all turned to custard with two wickets falling at 93, the sixth at 104, the seventh at 108 and the eighth at 111. And it was only a lucky edge through slips from last man standing Carwyn Caffell for two which gave them the victory
Brad Edwards had earlier made 35 with Joe Hull and Troy Burling both making 17 and Daniel Stoneley 15,
The features of the Wairarapa College revival were the bowling of Sean Jarvis who took 6-29 from his eight overs and the four catches taken in slips by James Adamson, two of them being truly spectacular efforts.
Lansdowne made no race of their Umpires Cup match with Rathkeale College at Rathkeale, winning by seven wickets.
Rathkeale College took first strike and were all out for 93 thanks to some accurate bowling from Lansdowne duo Dane Buchanan (4-30) and Doug Johnson (3-20). Richard French top scored with 16.
Lansdowne then hit up the winning runs for the loss of just three wickets with Academy "import" Roscoe Mitchell being 30 not out and Brock Price making 26.