Northern Districts and Wellington have made the early running at the National U19 Men’s Tournament in Lincoln, both maintaining unbeaten records after the first two rounds of play.
ND posted a 10-wicket win over Canterbury at Lincoln Green while Wellington beat Otago by 77 runs on the Lincoln No.3 ground, both teams having won their opening round games against Otago and Auckland, respectively.
The ND opening pair of Xavier Bell (100* off 85) and Aryan Mann (74* off 73) were instrumental in their team's victory over Canterbury, helping their side chase down 179 without the loss of a wicket.
Jake Riley (2-18), Ryan Metcalfe (2-10) and Snehith Reddy (2-27) all claimed two wickets earlier in the day, helping to thwart the Canterbury batting effort.
Former NZ U19 representative Ryan Tsourgas blasted 106 off 83 balls to help Wellington reach an impressive 385 for nine against Otago.
In reply, Daniel Lawrence scored 117 off 100 balls to inject some hope into an Otago chase that faded through the final stanzas.
Central Districts and Auckland have each recorded one win, while Canterbury and Otago are yet to record a victory.
The tournament will continue this Thursday with plenty to play for.
Teams will compete in a final one day fixture, before taking part in a new initiative - a three day match - beginning Saturday.
Back-to-back champions! 🏆 @aucklandcricket claim their second consecutive crown at the National Women’s U19 Tournament after winning 6 out of 7 matches. Catch up on scores | https://t.co/j5SnH2MPUW #CricketNation 📷 = @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/OjybWR6mz6
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) December 7, 2024
