Karori are set to play host to the respective Dominion Post Premier and Senior one-day finals on 7 December after Karori and Johnsonville each emerged from two tightly contested fields to qualify top and grab home advantage.
Both teams will both play newly promoted opposition in their finals, with Karori meeting last year’s Senior Hazlett Trophy winners Hutt Districts and Johnsonville hosting new Senior side Wellington College, whose top two finish in the limited overs competition completes a whirlwind introduction to the Senior ranks for the school’s first XI
Heading into the last round, Wellington College were third equal with Petone-Riverside behind frontrunners Johnsonville and second placed University, but losses by both Petone and University and their win over Wainuiomata clinched them the final berth.
Wellington College beat Wainuiomata by seven wickets with over five overs to spare, with State Wellington Firebirds player Harry Boam again playing a star turn in scoring 75 not out and rescuing his side after the early loss of both openers.
Johnsonville will host their second successive Senior one-day final after a four wicket win over the Taita second XI. Captain Glyn Powell captured his second five wicket haul of the season with a competition best 7 for 23 as Johnsonville bowled out their Hutt opposition for just 92.
Kaori ensured their place as top Premier grade qualifier by beating third placed North City by five wickets, chasing down Norths’ 246 for 6. Opener Aaron McCash (72) and former Firebird Stu Mills (93) both scored heavily for Norths in a competitive total, and then had Karori at 96 for 4 in their chase.
But enter Simon Allen and Lee Edwards, the middle order pair combining for a match winning partnership. Allen was unlucky not to score a century in ending unbeaten on 98 and Edwards scoring 49.
Hutt Districts grabbed second place ahead of Onslow, with Hutt beating Eastern Suburbs by three wickets and Onslow missing out to Taita by seven runs.
Hutt were buoyed by Graham Napier’s 5 for 18, that helped dismiss Easts for 160, and then by his top score of 34 that helped his side in a difficult run chase. A middle order collapse saw Hutt fall from 114 for 5 to 122 for 7 in quick order, but Andrew Lamb (21) and David Twigg (17) came to the rescue with an unbeaten 39 for the ninth wicket.
Onslow were defeated by Taita in a low scoring game on a slow pitch. Misty Jones-Middleton took 4 for 29 for Onlsow to help dismiss Taita, but then fell short on 133 all out after being 70 for 2 midway through their chase.
In the bottom of the table Premier clash, Naenae Old Boys defeated Upper Hutt by three runs in a nail biter, Naenae scoring 184 and Upper Hutt replying with 181.
In other Senior matches, University were left lamenting a one-wicket loss to lowly North City which cost them a place in the final against Johnsonville. The students appeared headed for the final after scoring 217 for 7 and then having the last Norths pair at the wicket and still needing 13 runs for victory. But the tailenders managed to thwart University’s hopes and got the required runs with an over to spare.
It was a similar story for Petone-Riverside, who met a Collegians side who saved their best batting until last to deny them a shot of Senior one-day glory. Petone’s score of 201 batting first against a Collegians team who have been struggling at the crease may have been enough on a previous day, but Sachin Wijewarnasooriya’s 81 and James Crichton’s 56 got Collegians home by six wickets.
In the Senior Women’s competition, Taita (95 for 3) held off Johnsonville (93) by two runs.
Meanwhile, the first round of two-day cricket gets underway this weekend in the first of two full rounds before the Christmas break. First-up games in the Premier competition see seven times Pearce Cup champions Eastern Suburbs travel to play Taita. Onslow, Upper Hutt and Hutt Districts host Karori, North City and Naenae respectively.