Cricket: Central Districts wins Under 15 tournament at Whanganui Festival

The Central Districts side has breezed through the U15 Girls tournament unbeaten to lift their title at Cricket Express Whanganui Festival of Cricket today.

Finishing the round robin as top qualifier with a straight-forward eight wicket win over the other unbeaten team in the Christchurch XI yesterday afternoon, CD repeated the dose for a seven wicket victory in the final, despite their opposition playing much better than the day before.

The team's Whanganui allrounder Charlotte Stent came back into the side after missing yesterday morning's match due to a slight back injury, necessitating a quick trip to the physio.

She did not bowl when returning for the Christchurch game in the afternoon, but the CD attack had matters well in hand as they bowled Christchurch out for 87 in the 27th over of the 30-over game.

After Hawke's Bay's Aniela Apperley (2-3) took out the stumps of the Christchurch openers early, her provincial team mate Gretel Fairbrother (4-15) took over by ripping through the middle order, until Maddie Morrow (34 not out) showed resistance - hitting three boundaries on Whanganui Collegiate's large No1 field.

However, Morrow would be stranded as Fairbrother and Wairarapa's Emma McLeod (2-29) cleaned up the tail, while Taranaki's Grace Foreman got the other wicket off a catch by Stent.

**Given the chance to open the batting with a small target, Stent seized her opportunity with an anchor innings of 37 from 42 balls, including four boundaries, taking the side through to 60-2 before losing her stumps. **

Fairbrother (20 not out) then carried on with Nelson captain Lottie Fuller to swiftly collect the remaining runs by the 16th over.

Both teams then had a quick turnaround to face each other again this morning, and despite losing an early wicket when Stent combined with Hawke's Bay wicketkeeper Aimee Kay for a run out, this time Christchurch dug in.

Surviving a dropped catch, the partnership of Izzy Sharp (32) and Maggie Martin (38) carried their team through to the 20th over, with seven boundaries being struck between them, to have Christchurch in good shape to launch for a competitive score at 81-1.

Sharp began to make some good shots, including a hard sweep off her legs for one boundary.

However, Manawatu's Gemma Lovewell (2-11) broke the partnership by getting both Sharp and Martin's stumps in consecutive overs, and then Fairbrother (2-27) produced a great 24th over with both a caught and bowled as well as hitting the stumps.

That triggered a collapse through Christchurch's lower order, save for Abby McKissock (14) hitting a couple of boundaries, as Apperley (2-12) continued her great form - getting consecutive clean-bowls to be sitting on a hat-trick, which was survived.

Stent (1-23) was called to bowl the last over, and at one point it looked like she might keep Christchurch from even reaching 130, after bowling Maddie Iro (9) at 127-8.

However, a wide and a couple of extra runs from a run out chance that ricocheted away from the stumps saw Christchurch reach a defendable 132-8.

Despite not having their former Whanganui White Fern coach Jessica Watkin available for guidance, CD constructed a near perfect run chase to reach 133-3 by the 27th over for a comfortable win.

Apperley (53 not out from 77) went coast-to-coast at opener, although at one stage it appeared she and Hawke's Bay partner Reece Drager (25 from 46) may have been getting behind the 8-ball at 39-0 after ten overs, with the required run rate creeping up into the mid-five's.

However, the pair upped their scoring, hitting two boundaries each, although the innings hit a speed bump when Martin (3-18) trapped Drager in front and then had Fuller caught out first ball.

At 60-2, the platform was still laid and McLeod (27 from 30) came in to join Apperley to continue to lift the pace, hitting two boundaries herself, while also being assisted by several Christchurch wides, as the pair put on 60 runs in the next ten overs.

They deserved to bat through to the finish, but McLeod finally lost her stumps to Martin at 122-3.

There was still more than enough time left for Apperley to raise a deserved half century, while Fairbrother came in to hit the ball over the top to get the match over with.

Having tied the scores in the 27th over, another extra gave CD the win.

A very pleased Fuller said the departure of Watkin had not been a worry, as by their sixth game her squad knew what they were doing.

"We just tried to keep to our own rhythm, not stray too far from our game.

"We thought we'd be ok [chasing], we've got a good batting team the whole way through."

Six of the team will now move on to Under 18 level, while the rest are eligible for this tournament next year.

One of those going up will be Stent, who first played in this tournament as a 13-year-old in 2018.

"It's an amazing feeling, all the girls have played really well," she said.

Her back issues had gone away by the final.

"I batted yesterday afternoon, didn't bowl, and it came right.

"I'm happy with that [Thursday innings]. We just took our time, 30 overs to chase down a small total."

Otago ultimately finished third overall after a 34-run win in their playoff with Auckland, while the Wellington vs Northern Districts match was a real thriller, with Wellington getting home by two wickets with two balls to spare.

Per the CricHq statistics, Apperley finished the clear MVP player, having scored 114 runs from her three innings including the unbeaten 53, while taking 11 wickets including a 5-for.

Otago's Louisa Kotkamp was the top bowler with 12 dismissals.

Martin finished as the top batter with 196 runs, averaging 39.20, while having played one more innings than McLeod, who scored 185 runs at an average of 61.67.

In the hypothetical tournament 'dream team', which is chosen by CricHq from the statistics, CD's McLeod, Apperley, Stent, Fairbrother and Caitlin Marshall (ten wickets) were all selected.

At a Glance

Thursday:
Round Five
Christchurch 87 v CD 88-2
ND 59 v Otago 63-3
Auckland 140-8 v Wellington 132

Friday:
Finals
Christchurch 132-8 v CD 133-3
Otago 106 v Auckland 72
ND 90-7 v Wellington 91-8.

Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle 11/1/20