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LOCAL SPORT
CRICKET - Onerahi claim club championship
23.03.2009
By Peter Thorley
Unfancied Onerahi-Central made the most of the end of the Northland Club cricket season this weekend by taking the last two premier grade trophies on offer.
The Whangarei club beat Whangarei Boys' High School in the two-day final by four wickets, with the win giving the side the club championship trophy in their inaugural season - and, more importantly, bragging rights over their biggest rivals, City Cricket Club.
"The best thing about it is that City were done out of everything, I mean they thought they were going to win all four competitions and they've got nothing to show for their season now," captain Ross Kneebone said.
"They were a superstar line-up and we are a team of triers who have given 100 per cent and we've come out on top."
Onerahi were the quiet achievers of the competition, picking up three third places and finally a win, in the four premier grade competitions held this season.
"The boys saved their best until the last and fronted up when we really needed it I suppose. We always thought if we could be consistent then we could pick up the major overall trophy," he said.
It was enough to earn them the club championship prize as the best overall team, decided on a points system taking in the results in all of the competitions.
The club's Zimbabwean professional Greg Strydom was the undoubted star of this weekend's match. He took ten wickets in the match, including 7/46 in the first innings and he top-scored in the first innings with 49.
"It was a good team effort all round, but obviously there were a few standout performances," Kneebone said.
"Obviously Greg's bowling was a real bonus, I mean, taking ten wickets in a final is a pretty good effort isn't it? But others came through as well."
He singled out opener Craig Russell's expansive innings of 62 as Onerahi chased 138 to win yesterday afternoon and Harley Dyke's 38 in the same innings.
Getting Strydom back to play next year for the club is already a top priority. "We hope to get him back next season and we're trying to put some sort of deal together now," he said.
The two-day final was dominated by the bowlers, with few batsmen managing to stick around for long as the high school team tried to force a result in the match they had to win.
High School's Ben Hyde top-scored with 52 as the students scored 152 in the first innings and Onerahi were in early trouble before a partnership between Strydom and Kneebone got the team back on track.
Onerahi finished up with a four-run deficit leaving the students to force the pace in their second innings - something they struggled to do with tight bowling, in particular from Strydom, Kneebone and Gareth Blyth.
They were all out too cheaply, leaving Onerahi time to chase down the win and bragging rights.