Takapuna District Cricket Club

What a way to start the new season! Premier innings such as these come along very rarely, and when they do it's worth noting. Our own Craig Cachopa's phenomenal 197 in what was a rain reduced 42 over match, was one that people will talk of for years to come, all the more so in that it was a chanceless affair, and one played with a very high degree of "proper" cricket shots. The stats alone are impressive enough: 110 balls, 18 fours and 12 sixes. His innings, and Blake Douglas' smash and grab cameo of 46 meant that Takapuna posted the scarcely believable tally of 352/6. It was always going to be a herculean run chase for North Shore and they predictably fell well short as the pressure of such a run rate told, James Cowell rounding out Takapuna's day with 4-29.

To heap more woes on North Shore, the Premier Reserves playing at Vauxhall Road won the toss and elected to bat. We got off to a rocky start losing 2 wickets in the first 3 overs. However Simon Mathewson and Laurie Agnew got things back on track putting on 90 runs until Agnew was dismissed for 32. From there Mathewson (75) along with useful contributions from the middle order was able to guide Takapuna to a good score of 239. The North Shore openers survived a quick opening burst from fast bowler Andrew McDonald but the breakthrough was made in the 8th over by Michael Tillett. The team old-timer Scott Mackenzie was then introduced into the attack and claimed 3 victims in 3 overs to reduce North Shore to 36/4. From there the clinical Takapuna attack bowled with good discipline eventually dismissing North Shore for 102.

Takapuna 239 (S Mathewson 75, L Agnew 32) defeated North Shore 102 (S Mackenzie 4/23) by 137 runs.