Manawatu too strong for Thames Valley

Home team Manawatu won the right to play the last Hawke Cup challenge when beating Thames Valley over the weekend in the play-off match between the runners up from zones one and two.

The game was played at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North. Batting first, Thames Valley were dismissed for 93 to which Manawatu replied with 245.

Manawatu will now play Hamilton on March 23-25.

Scores were:

Thames Valley 93 (Glen Sulzberger 4-26, Michael Mason 3-27) and 329 (Scott Styris 96, J Warner 79, Grant Bradburn 79; Michael Mason 5-78, A McLean 3-50) lost to Manawatu 245 (Joseph Hill 81, Peter Ingram 36, Jacob Oram 33; Scott Styris 4-39) and 180/2 (Peter Ingram 67*, Glen Sulzberger 58*, Jamie How 42) by eight wickets.