Coldstream’s Sean Burgess bowls while Tech Stags batsman Harry Jones awaits the outcome of the delivery during Saturday’s Muirhead Rosebowl cricket action. Photo Heather MackenzieAn unbeaten 77 from opener Harry Jones helped his Tech Stags side to yet another win in Mid Canterbury Cricket’s Muirhead Rosebowl competition on Saturday.

Playing Coldstream in round four of the competition, the Stags continued their unbeaten Muirhead Rosebowl run with a seven-wicket win to put them in the box seat to add another piece of silverware to their collection this season.

But Coldstream didn’t make it easy for them. Batting first at the Ashburton Domain they made steady progress, but lost their final four wickets for just 10 runs to finish 161 all out.

Jono Print was Coldstream’s top batsman with 50 runs to his name before becoming one of Bevan Ravenscroft’s three victims, while Ben Niles made 34 before also falling to Ravenscroft.

But it was Des Kruger – better known more recently for his batting exploits – who did most of the damage with the ball for Tech.

He was the last bowler to come into the attack and bowled 7.3 overs, taking 5/20, including three of the last four wickets.

With a decent total to chase, Tech’s reply got off to a good start, with William McKee the first wicket to fall for 33 with his side on 55.

His fellow opener wasn’t going anywhere though, with Jones seeing his side home with a knock of 77 not out.

Tech made the target in 39.5 overs for the loss of just three wickets, with Kruger also still there at the end on 16 not out to complete a man of the match performance.

Meanwhile, up the road in Methven, the hosts managed to scrape a team together after having to default their game the previous week due to only having five players.

But it wasn’t their day, with visitors Lauriston heading away from the Methven Domain with a 174-run win to their names.

Lauriston batted first and made one of the biggest totals of the season so far, finishing up on 304/9, with opener Scott Maher making a fine 71 before Bevan Richan added 73 after coming in at four.

A nine-man Methven struggled to get anything going in reply and were eventually all out for 130 in 32.1 overs.

By Erin Tasker© The Ashburton Guardian - 11 February 2019

Ashburton shooter John Snowden. Photo Robyn HoodHe might have been the best performed shooter out of the New Zealanderss in the rifle shooting Long Range World Championships, but John Snowden could only manage ninth place in the strong international field in Trentham.

Fresh off a second-place finish in the National Championships, Snowden shot a score of 691.39, six points clear of fellow Kiwi Malcolm Dodson in the 10th.

Further up the leaderboard, it was a domination job from the shooters from Australia, with Stephen Negus taking the gold medal and Paterson Cup with a score of 703.43, while is fellow Australian Mitchell Bailey took out second place, shooting 702.65.

Only one competition remains for the more than 450 shooters that initially descended on Trentham two weeks ago, the Palma Match, which is the team’s world championship event, for which Snowden is representing New Zealand.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 9 February 2019

Erin Connelly-Whyte – who is soon to head away to university – sends a serve down to her doubles opponents during her Hampstead team’s win over Methven last weekend. Photo Robyn HoodWith just two weeks’ worth of games left to play in the Mid Canterbury Tennis A grade competition, Tinwald are the team to beat.

Tinwald notched up a narrow 4-2 win over Southern last weekend to ensure they maintained their spot at the top of the table, while Fairton moved into second spot on the points table courtesy of an even narrower win over the team that took out the season’s first round, Allenton.

That tie finished drawn 3-all on matches and sets, with Fairton winning it on a countback of games.

Tinwald had headed into last weekend’s round with a four-point lead over both Fairton and Allenton, and by the end of that round they’d extended their lead to five points over Fairton, with Allenton a further two points back.

Today, things could get turned on their head though, with Tinwald set to take on Allenton.

If Tinwald wins, they are likely to maintain their spot at the top heading into the final round, but if Allenton won it could set up a mouth-watering final round with more than one team fighting it out for the title of the second round’s best.

The other two winning teams from last weekend will also face off today, with Fairton set to take on Hampstead.

Hampstead moved up one spot into fourth spot, just one point behind Allenton, courtesy of a 4-2 win over Methven last weekend.

Methven and Southern willmeet in today’s other encounter, with both battling to avoid the second round’s wooden spoon.

Meanwhile in A reserve action, the Allenton Kakapos are set to take on Hampstead, and the Allenton Weka will play the Methven Diamonds, with Southern/Wakanui having the bye.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 9 February 2019