Auckland lift National Under 17 title

Auckland have won the National U-17 title after ending the tournament with a win against Wellington at the weekend.
 
The round robin tournament was completed with Auckland coming out on top after a consistent performance throughout - winning five of the six matches throughout the week.
 
Auckland’s success was underpinned by the tournament’s top run-scorer, Conor Ansell, who totalled 365 runs and a high score of 110, and a strong batting performance in general: Ansell and Sajith Dhambagolla put together a partnership of 162 against Wellington.
 
Canterbury were a close second on the table and the only team to cause an upset against the winners, Auckland, after recording a total of four wins and two loses.
 
Regan Sheahan was a stand-out performer for the Cantabrians, taking total of 13 wickets throughout the tournament.
 
Hampered by temperamental weather during the week, all teams had at least one abandoned match, and Central Districts and Northern Districts had a second abandonment on Friday. As a result, both teams were out of contention for the top spot.
 
The week included some notable highlights, with five players reaching centuries: Conor Ansell (Auckland) 110, Benjamin Panmore (Northern Districts) 110, Brayden Hill (Central Districts) 109, Oliver White (Northern Districts) 104, and Beckham Wheeler-Greenall (Otago) 104.
 
The bowlers also made a mark, with Sheahan taking six for 15 against Northern Districts, and Auckland’s William O’Rourke taking five for 15 against Otago.
 
The tournament finished on a bright note with the weather allowing play to re-commence on the last day.
 
Tournament champions Auckland ended on a high, winning against Wellington by 13 runs - while Canterbury and Central Districts both won their respective games.