Beating Canterbury’s Best

New Plymouth Marist United (Central Districts) 272 (Matt Sim 70, Josh Barrett 39, Ryan Bridgeman 55*; Todd Astle 3/36 ) DEFEATED Old Boys Collegian (Canterbury) 228 (Paul Knight 58, Joel Abraham 42, David Wakefield 46; Sam Wells 4/55, Sam Barrett 3/50) by 44 runs.

It was David versus Goliath when New Plymouth Marist United tackled the best club side from the mainland in the round robin stage of the 2012/2013 National Club Champs.

NPMU made a slow start on the No 3 wicket at Cornwall Park as Old Boys continued their habit of bowling well up front with first class seamers van Beek and McEwan. Veteran Matt Sim steadied the ship with an almost run a ball 70 but he was the sixth wicket to fall and one of Blackcap Todd Astles victims. Astle orchestrated a period where 4 wickets fell for 10 runs to grab the momentum back for the Canterbury side and he finished with figures of 3/36.

Late order hitting is always a risk on a field with small boundaries and Marist’s tail wagged with the big hitting Josh Barrett smashing his way through to 39 and then wicketkeeper Ryan Bridgeman batting through till the end with an unbeaten half century to the Minotaurs through to 272/9.

Old Boys Collegians would have thought with three of their top order scoring over 40, one would have kicked on and closed the game out for them but as each fell individually thanks to some sharp work in the field. A late cameo from the OBC lower order gave some hope but scoreboard pressure and energy from the field saw New Plymouth Marist United claim one of the biggest scalps in their history.