Canterbury's country cricket season under way with rising star's spectacular double century

The new country cricket season got underway with Weedons edging out a hard-fought win over Sefton. Pictured is the team playing off against Leeston-Southbridge last year. Photo / Supplied

The new country cricket season got under way on Saturday with Weedons edging out a hard-fought win over Sefton, and rising star Rhys Mariu blasting a spectacular double century to power Ohoka to a commanding win over Lincoln.

There were also wins for Darfield and Cheviot in the opening round of the CRV Ambreed Country Premier One Day 2021/22 competition at the weekend.

At Weedons Domain, the home XI won the toss and elected to bat first against a strong Sefton side with high ambitions of defending their title.

And the Sefton Seals would have been pleased with their first innings, rolling Weedons inside 30 overs for just 135, with opener Todd Inness a shining beacon, making a run-a-ball 87. Only Canterbury rep Blake Coburn offered any other resistance as the Sefton bowlers ripped through the batting line-up.

Veteran campaigner, the wily Jeff Jones showed he's up for another go round, claiming four wickets, while Barry Cross chipped in with three.

Chasing the meagre score, Sefton's innings stuttered by losing regular wickets, and no batsman was able to kick on and guide the team home.

The triumvirate of Coburn, Charlie Robson, and Sam Clarke took three wickets apiece and dismissed Sefton in the 30th over to claim a solid 22-run victory.

A remarkable innings by Ohoka opener Rhys Mariu set up a whopping 214-run win over Lincoln at Mandeville.

Batting first, former New Zealand under-19 captain Mariu was in a class above as he compiled an unbeaten 202 as Ohoka made 368/4 in their allotted 45 overs.

Mariu's innings came off just 128 deliveries and included a century in fours alone, along with six sixes, and shared in a 138-run partnership with Will Hamilton who supported him well with 68 runs off 60 balls.

Lincoln battled hard in their second innings without ever threatening the mammoth total and were all out for 154 in the 39th over, with five Ohoka bowlers sharing the wickets.

At Rangiora's MainPower Oval, Cheviot cruised to a six-wicket win over Southbrook despite an unbeaten century by Canterbury star Jack Boyle.

Boyle's 109 not out lifted Southbrook to a first innings score of 208/4, but it wasn't quite enough, with the Magpies chasing it down with 20 balls to spare, thanks to a classy unbeaten 86 by Archie Redfern.

Darfield defended 195 on their home track against Oxford-Rangiora after a solid team effort.

Short scorecards:

• Weedons 135 (T Inness 87, B Coburn 21; J Jones 4/23, B Cross 3/20, C Warner 2/26)
Beat Sefton 113 (L Taylor 23; Coburn 3/21, S Clarke 3/23, C Robson 3/24).

• Ohoka 368/4 (R Mariu 202no, W Hamilton 68, A Hamilton 33, P Miller 28)
Beat Lincoln 154 (A Gulati 41, T Cross 35, J Suzana 31; P Miller 2/14, G Belcher 2/16, R Mariu 2/18, H Williams 2/31).

• Southbrook 208/4 (J Boyle 109no, S Stewart 35, G Mowat 22; W Smith 2/61)
Lost to Cheviot 212/4 (A Redfern 86, H Fitzpatrick 44, H Darling 43; T Bruce 2/40).

• Darfield 195 (B Innes 41, T Dempster 40, Z Foulkes 36; M Murphy 2/28, J Waghorn 2/31, S Fleming 2/35, L Stove 2/41)
Beat Oxford-Rangiora 155 (D Fulton 48, M Murphy 24; W Greenslade 3/23, Z Foulkes 2/13, L Foulkes 2/26, R Hughes 2/28).