AUCKLAND U19 v OTAGO U19
For the second day in a row, Auckland held their nerve to claim a tense victory - this time downing a plucky Otago side trying to chase a mammoth 343-run target on Lincoln Green.
The victory was set up by James Nelson’s hundred, but it was Harry Cullen-Hieatt’s 5/36 which helped clinch the 19-run victory in another high-scoring thriller.
Earlier, Auckland made the most of winning the toss and choosing to bat as Nelson combined with his teammates for three 50-run+ partnerships in a row en route to his century.
High-striking cameos from the middle order allowed Nelson to anchor the innings, with 100 runs smashed in the last 10 overs.
PHOTO | Emma Breitmeyer
Otago’s Mason Clark and Zac Cumming had claimed the early wickets to take their tournament tally to five wickets, placing them fifth-equal on the bowling leaderboard.
The southerners' batting effort got off to a rocky start as the new tournament leading-wicket taker Cullen-Hieatt (9) claimed three wickets in his first three overs, including Shore and Cumming in back-to-ball balls.
That brought Will Jones to the crease who set about plundering 105 from 85 balls, and received able support from Nick Brown (72 off 68) as the Otago middle order threatened to do the unthinkable.
Jones’s dismissal in the 40th over left them needing 115 off the final 10 overs, with five wickets in hand.
However, Auckland managed to chip away the remaining wickets to make it two from two to start the tournament and go to the top of the table after the opening weekend.
CANTERBURY U19 v NORTHERN DISTRICTS U19
Canterbury also made it two from two to start their tournament by edging a thriller on Lincoln No.3 - handing Northern Districts their first loss of the tournament.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, opener Robbie (Robson) Foulkes once again led the batting effort for the red and blacks.
The younger brother of Canterbury senior player Zac anchored the innings with 83 from 95, taking his two-game tally to 178, and second on the runscorers' chart.
An 105-run third-wicket partnership with Matthew Hocquard (61 off 56) did the bulk of the work, but a late fightback from ND led by Harry Burns (4/43) saw them claim the final five wickets for 39 runs as Canterbury was bundled out in the 49th over for 285.
Canterbury new-ball bowler George Gunn reduced the visitors to 12/2 in the third over, and then claimed his third wicket in the fifth as Northern stumbled to 25/3.
An 86-run stand between Aryan Mann (86) and wicketkeeper Sam Clode resurrected things before Seb Heath backed up his day one century with a rapid 78 off 65, taking his tournament tally to an impressive 204 from two knocks.
Some late strikes from captain Lucas James (30* off 19) took the visitors close, as they required 35 off 20 at one stage, but could only get within four as Canterbury held on to stay unbeaten.
CENTRAL DISTRICTS U19 v WELLINGTON U19
After coming up just short on Saturday’s opening day of the NZC Gilette Men’s Under-19 Nationals, both Wellington and Central Districts were hungry for points as they squared off for the first time on the live-streamed Bert Sutcliffe Oval.
However, unlike their down-to-the-wire Saturday matches, Sunday’s proceedings were to be done and dusted in little more than 60 overs as a dominant display with bat and ball saw Wellington claim a bonus-point victory by nine wickets.
Central Districts started the day by winning the toss and electing to bat, but failed to produce partnerships as Wellington was able to take wickets at regular intervals.
Left-armer Finn McQueen did the bulk of the damage, bowling first change as he snared 3/20 from his seven overs, while Ollie Tewatiya (2/24) and Ryan Tsourgas (2/35) proved challenging through the middle.
Central Districts opener Jerome Robinson put up the main resistance as wickets fell around him, but when he fell to McQueen for the top score of 24, the scoreboard was teetering at 64/5 in just the 17th over.
Central would get 81 runs out of their final four wickets before they were dismissed for what looked an under-par 150.
That total was made to look even smaller as openers Henry Christie and Will Julian came out blazing as they pursued a victory and potential bonus point.
When Julian fell in the ninth over, Wellington was already on 70: almost halfway to the target.
Christie belted 15 fours and two sixes in a swashbuckling 94 off 72 balls, taking his runs tally for the tournament to 165 - placing him third.
Wellington ran down the target in the 21st over to claim a dominant bonus point victory, bumping them up to third on the ladder.
The teams will have a rest day tomorrow before returning on Tuesday for the third round of five, with the finals day on Saturday.
