Superb win for Wairarapa

THROUGH: Wairarapa opener Jamie Holmes booms a drive through the covers.PHOTOS/CHRIS KILFORD

Trust House Wairarapa ended a 40-year drought when they scored a commanding 54-run win over Wellington City in their representative cricket match played at Greytown on Sunday.

It was an encouraging performance against formidable opposition from a Wairarapa side fielding three uncapped players - Choi Jackson, Jack Wakeling and Liam Burling - with a solid batting display being complemented by an impressive bowling and fielding effort.

Wellington City's attack included two Wellington Firebirds pace bowlers in Dane Hutchinson and Ile Tugaga and after Wairarapa openers Jamie Holmes (25) and Sean Jarvis (5) had plundered 20 runs off the first two overs they struck back strongly, having the home side in trouble at 84-5.

It was then, however, that two of the players returning to the Wairarapa fold this season, Paul Lyttle and Seth Rance, came together in a partnership worth 76 runs. Wicketkeeper Lyttle was finally caught out in the 38th over after a well-compiled 59, which included some fierce blows, while Rance was typically aggressive in reaching 39.

Aiding the Wairarapa cause too were useful knocks from Jackson (14) and Burling (30) lower in the order with Rathkeale College pupil Burling especially impressive with his stroke play against the quicker Wellington bowlers.

The last Wairarapa wicket fell with just one ball of the scheduled 50 overs remaining and with the score at a respectable 224.

Wellington City, for their part, would have disappointed at dropping several catches while extras contributed 33 runs, including 19 wides.

On the other hand Wairarapa fielded impressively when Wellington City went into bat, starting with a fine caught and bowled, snared by medium pacer Stefan Hook-Sporry, to have the score at 18-1. Several other excellent catches were also taken as wickets fell at regular intervals and Wellington City were out all out for 170 runs made in 40.2 overs.

The pick of the Wairarapa bowlers was Jarvis who finished with 3-36 from his 10 overs, while Calvin Ball took 2-36 and Cameron 2-19.

Short scoreboard:

Wairarapa 224 (Holmes 25, Jarvis 5, Cameron 0, Clinton-Baker 7, Treseder 9, Lyttle 59, Rance 39, Burling 30, Jackson 14, Wakeling 2, Ball 1 not out; extras 33; fall, 25, 25, 46, 53, 84, 160, 174, 200, 220, 224; Hutchinson 10-0-29-2, Gibson 7.5-0-40-2, O'Connor 10-1-31-2, Tugaga 7-0-38-2, Naguleswaran 10-1-35-1, Dry 5-0-41-1) beat Wellington City 170 (Dean 4, Fletcher 75, Blundell 13, Weerasundara 4, Gibson 21, Gajanayaka 6, Naguleswaran 4, Hutchinson 25, Tugaga 1, O'Connor 1, Dry 3 not out; extras 13; fall, 18, 54, 66, 103, 122, 131, 135, 138, 147, 170; Rance 6.2-0-19-1, Hook-Sporry 6-2-12-1, Holmes 10-0-44-1, Ball 5-0-36-2, Jarvis 10-0-36-3, Cameron 5-1-19-2.