The top of the table clash between Karori and Eastern Suburbs was evenly placed, while Naenae Old Boys are well on top of North City at the end of the first day of Round 11 matches in the Dominion Post Premier competition.
Eastern Suburbs batted first and made 221 for 8 before declaring. Tom Jamison scored 61 and captain Lance Dry an unbeaten 30, and for Karori Harry Boam took 3 for 30 and Simon Baker 3-34. In reply Karori were 125-3 at stumps with Stephen Murdoch (not out 49) and Simon Allen (not out 40) both at the crease.
Naenae lost the toss and were asked to bat first against North City and made 283. But this was due entirely to two centuries, to Phil Tunnicliffe and Adam Williams.
Tunnicliffe scored a whirlwind 126 off just 57 balls and Adam Williams reached an unbeaten 105, the pair adding 173 for the fifth wicket. No other Naenae batsman made double figures, with Dewayne Bowden taking 4 for 85 for Norths.
Norths were then dismissed for 141 as Michael Cornish took 6 for 45 and Robbie Bird 3 for 16. Following on Norths were 7-2 at stumps and still 135 runs away from making Naenae bat again. A win in this round will be an extremely timely one for seventh placed Naenae and will likely leapfrog back into the middle of the Premier pack and well out of the relegation zone.
Third placed Taita will be hoping for an outright win over bottom placed Upper Hutt. Taita made just 130, with Jimad Ahmed taking 4 for37, but Upper Hutt could only score 102 in reply. Mark Lewer 3 for 10 and Mark Houghton 3 for 20 doing the damage. At stumps Taita were 71 for 3 in their second innings, an overall lead of 99 runs.
In the other Premier match, Hutt District made 233 against Onslow, Kieran Lennon top scoring with 50 and Scott Rasmussen taking 4 for 52 and Stewart Rhodes 3 for 64. Onslow were 128 for 2 at close with Rhodes on 58.
In the Senior competition, leaders Johnsonville dominated their game against North City. They scored 284 for 9 with Luke Woodcock scoring 106. Hamish Blomfield and Ili Tugaga both took three wickets. Norths were dismissed for 67, Ryan Isaac getting 4 for 23. Following on, Norths were 20 for 1 in its second innings and victory for Johnsonville appears a formality on day two.
Second placed Taita made 240 for 6 against Collegians, with Eugene Georgiades and Michael Best scoring fifties. Collegians were 129 for6 at close of play.
University completely dominated Wellington College. College were bowled out for 76 with Graham Murray getting the extraordinary figures of 6 for 5. University then made 284 for 5, Colin Owens scoring 134 and Murray 72.
Petone-Riverside had their best day of the season scoring 349 for 9 against Wainuiomata, four batsmen made fifties with Andrew Corliss top scoring on an unbeaten 77. Wainui were 144 for 7 at close of play Corliss getting 3 for18.
In the Senior Women’s competition there were wins to the top two teams Onslow and Taita.