Car Company Stoke-Nayland were always going to battle to win their Nelson premier one-day club cricket game at the Marsden Rec on Saturday after Wanderers scored 289 for five on the back of an unbeaten 130 by Joe O’Connor.
And that proved to be the case with Stoke-Nayland being dismissed for 214 with 1.1 overs remaining. Although Stoke-Nayland openers Kurt Pahl (28) and Chris Dittmer (42) made an encouraging start to their run chase, none of the batsmen were able to produce the big innings their team needed to get them across the line.
In contrast, Joe had earlier batted through the Wanderers’ innings, hitting 10 fours and four sixes in his impressive, match-winning knock. Tom Cross also batted well, contributing a typically hard-hit 49 that included five sixes.
In other games, Athletic College Old Boys beat Nelson College by six wickets at the Botanics and Post Boy Hotel Wakatu beat Bar 321 Waimea Toi Toi United by five wickets at Victory Square.
