RIVERSIDE batsman Oliver Law hit a century and Westbury’s Dave Rodgers scored a rapid-fire 85 on a day when two UK import batsmen dominated their respective Cricket North matches yesterday.
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The Blues made it two wins from two starts for the 2014-15 NTCA season with a 24-run victory over South Launceston at the NTCA No.2 Ground.
Law made 113, from 107 balls, with nine fours and four sixes, to top score in the Riverside total of 9-245.
Ramesh Sundra contributed 47 down the order to be the next best.
Casey Young and Graeme Donaldson were the best of the South bowlers with Young taking 2-46 off 10 overs, and Donaldson 2-20, off six.
In reply, the Knights finished at 221, with Chris Hay top scoring with 78, Alec Smith made 44, and Kyle Bowie 54.
WESTBURY continued its unbeaten start to the season with an eight-wicket victory over Launceston at the NTCA No.1 Ground.
The Shamrocks dismissed the Lions for 156 off 49 overs and then chased down the required total for the loss of just two wickets to finish at 2-157, off 21 overs.
UK import Rodgers showed some good form to smash the top score of 85 and captain Dane Anderson contributed 42 as the pair put on a 120-run partnership for the second wicket, to complete their run chase in quick time.
‘‘It was a good all-round performance,’’ Anderson said.
‘‘We took some early wickets and had them on the back foot, but they played pretty well throughout the middle overs and put on a good partnership.
‘‘But once we broke that partnership we sort of ran through the rest pretty easy and it was a good result chasing 150.’’
Anderson said Rodgers ‘‘slapped’’ them early in a good knock that will boost his confidence for the rest of the season.
‘‘When you are chasing a reasonably low total when someone gets away early it puts you on the right track in knocking off those low-to-mid totals,’’ he said.
In the Lions innings, Tom Bennett top scored with 44 and Zac Oldenhof made a good knock of 43, with the pair putting on a valuable 71-run partnership for the fifth wicket after Launceston was in trouble at 4-36.
The Shamrocks attack shared the wickets around with Justin Curbishley bowling well to take 3-28, from his 10 overs.
Michael Lukic likewise did well to take 3-23, off 10 and Richard Howe picked up 2-25.
‘‘It was a good bowling effort because the wind was flying down the A1 Ground as it usually does and Justin Curbishley bowled his 10 overs up into the breeze and took three wickets,’’ Anderson said.
‘‘Our bowling is pretty experienced but we have had a couple of good performances in two weeks to restrict teams to gettable totals.’’
THE NTCA STARS
BEST WITH THE BAT
Oliver Law (Riverside) 113
Dave Rodgers (Westbury) 85
Chris Hay (South) 78
BEST WITH THE BALL
Michael Lukic (Westbury) 3-23
Justin Curbishley (Westbury) 3-28
*An earlier NTCA report for the Riverside v South Launceston match did not have the complete scoreboard available. Scores are now updated and correct.
