Everyone was available for the game except midfielder Dave McCorkindale, said Piper. Massey squeezed past North End 2-1 in their first game of the season in April and the students are third on the league ladder. North End co-coach Michael Sheridan said his team would be missing the suspended Shamus Moffat and veteran defender Crispin Moore, who is away, but on the bright side, prolific goalscorer Nathan Cooksley would be back after his red card was overturned. “Massey are a better side than some give them credit for, but they’re beatable though,” he said. “We let them get away from us a bit last time, but I’d like to see us use our experience and play a high-pressing game against them to put some pressure on their defence.”
Freyberg seamers Brad Fulton and Ali Akhter took four and three wickets, respectively, giving them an 80-run lead. Freyberg then scored 193-8 in their second dig and pushed for quick runs, giving them a lead of 273. Scott Mitchell came close to a century, but was out for 91, caught down the ground. Mitchell had an opening stand of 64 with opener Charles Parker, who scored 33. Old Boys spinners Trent McGrath and Regan Fleming put the brakes on as McGrath took four 4-57 and Fleming 3-65. Old Boys then had 41 overs to bat and hung on to be 96-8 at stumps. Freyberg looked like they were closing in at 55-5 and 83-7, but Old Boys did enough to survive until the end of play. McGrath top scored with 19.
Palmerston. Palmerston scored 123-7 in the first dig with the experienced Jonathan Salmon scoring 39. Marist needed 11 off the last over to win and reached 124-8 with two balls to spare.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School climbed into third place with a 37-run win over
Old Boys. The schoolboys scored 126-5 batting first off the back of 35 from Scott Davidson and 24 from Jonty Fleck. Stephen Bennett snared two wickets for Old Boys. In reply none of the Old Boys batsmen fired and they were all out for 89 in the 17.4 overs. Bennett top scored at No 9 with 16. Aadesh Ganugapati, Fred McVerry and Jonty Fleck all took two wickets apiece for Boys’ High.