Day Five
Eastern Suburbs (Wellington) v St Albans (Christchurch)
Eastern Suburbs 219/8 (Fraser Colson 63, Alecz Day 34; Tom Meyrick 3-44) beat St Albans (Christchurch) 178 (Michael Slack 49, Dylan Budge 49; Jamie Gibson 6-40) by 41 runs
View scorecard
An impressive effort with the ball from 2015/16 Firebirds first-class debutant Jamie Gibson lifted Eastern Suburbs into the showcase Final of the NZCT National Club Cricket Championships at Auckland’s Cornwall Park.
Easts will meet St Albans in a rematch of the hard-fought day five encounter between two of the strongest sides at the tournament, that saw Easts manage to defend a middling total on the Cornwall Park number one wicket — a surface that proved more difficult to score on as the day wore on, in overcast conditions.
Watch from Jamie Gibson interview post match
Easts was facing off against the only undefeated side in the competition in St Albans.
After deciding to bat first, Easts was able to make it through to 219 from their 50 overs.
They had struggled to build partnerships through their innings, and relied on substantial contributions from the well performed Fraser Colson (also a Firebird this summer) in the middle order, and then a late tranche of runs from the experienced duo of Lance Dry and Peter Connell to lift their total to a solid position.
In response, experienced St Albans looked to be in real trouble early as they attempted to pull in Eastern Suburbs’ total.
The Christchurch side was in strife when they found themselves at 15/3 in just the eighth over, the Eastern Suburbs opening attack of Peter Connell and Ricky Joseph having put the squeeze on.
Easts celebrating the eventual dismissal of Michael Slack. NZC
Michael Slack and Dylan Budge were able to put on a key, frustrating partnership that put St Albans back into the mix.
The duo was able to drag their side back into the match with an almost hundred run partnership.
However, after Budge lost his wicket the wheels started to fall off the St Albans chase.
Tom Meyrick
A resurgent Jamie Gibson was able to have an impact with the ball and in the field as he helped send St Albans packing — the key being the removal of the dangerous late order hitter Tom Meyrick.
Tom Meyrick sends up a lofted catch to Fraser Colson
Gibson backed up his early wicket with five more, and a run out. St Albans and Easts will meet on Cornwall Park number one in the Final, while Suburbs New Lynn and Napier Tech will battle for third spot.
Ish Sodhi returns for Manukau to endeavour to help his side avoid the wooden spoon against Dunedin's Kaikorai.
Points Table after day five
St Albans – 12
Eastern Suburbs – 12
Napier Old Boys Tech – 9
Suburbs New Lynn – 9
Kaikorai – 3
Manukau City – 0
