Collegiate too strong for Rathkeale

WICKET TAKER: Wanganui Collegiate's Connor O'Leary showed his class with a wicked spell with ball in hand to help demolish Rathkeale College by nine wickets in Masterton yesterday.PHOTO/FILE

WANGANUI Collegiate School continued their dominance over old foes Rathkeale College with a resounding nine-wicket victory in their annual two-day cricket match in Masterton this week.

The traditional inter-school event is a breeding ground for schoolboy cricket.

WCS have won 17 encounters compared to Rathkeale's seven and the pair have drawn 12 times.

WCS have Whanganui rep players Connor O'Leary and Sam Beard, while Rathkeale had Kelsey Fahey, a CD U17 representative. O'Leary is also a CD U17 rep.

The home team won the toss and decided to bat with opener Anthony Sprowson making a reasonable start until losing fellow opener Josh Tatham for one in the eighth over. Sprowson went on to top score for Rathkeale with 29 as his team-mates folded.

WSC had them all out for 120.

Beard did most of he damage for WCS in that first innings taking four wickets for just 13 runs off nine overs, while O'Leary (2-14 off 13), Angus Dinwiddie (2-27 off 6) and James Pennefather (2-41 off 12) chimed in with valuable contributions.

WCS easily topped that, scoring 206 in 60 overs with Dinwiddie racking up 80 runs before being claimed by Ethan Childs.

Beard was a huge assist with 37 while Harry Unsworth (20), Blair Pudney (17 not out) and Harry Cave (15) were the others to reach double figures. Matt Simes and Josh Lennox went for ducks.

Rathkeale returned to the crease needing 86 runs to draw level with WCS, but O'Leary and Beard kept the foot to the throat, claiming both openers for just one run.

In came Miller Paton-Masters and the talented Fahey to help hold Rathkeale's innings together.

Fahey showed his class with a quick 50 off 76 balls before Lennox claimed him lbw.

Paton-Masters was also taken lbw by O'Leary.

The wickets then tumbled for Rathkeale with Childs and Jack Forrester going for ducks from O'Leary bowls and they were suddenly 78/5 after 25.4 overs and still 8 runs behind WCS' second innings score.

Rathkeale could only muster 115 in the 46-over third innings, leaving WCS just 30 runs to win the match.

After a slightly rocky start with opener Nicholas O'Leary going for four, Simes redeemed himself somewhat for his earlier duck to take the team to 30 after scoring a quick 17 off 25 balls including four fours. Cave held up the other end with six from 17 balls.

Much of the victory may be attributable to new stand-in coach Dave Berry with his experience in the game a telling factor.