New Zealand: Old Boys happy with solitary point (1 February 1999)

1 February 1999

New Zealand: Old Boys happy with solitary point

The Christchurch Press

High School Old Boys was happy to claim a point from its washed out WestpacTrust Cup senior club cricket match to qualify for the semi-finals.

Although Old Boys has the bye in Saturday's final round of preliminary play, the one point all eight teams took from the abandoned games yesterday, was enough to confirm a top four position.

Riccarton, Old Boys, and St Albans will fill three of the first four places although their finishing order is yet to be determined, with Riccarton and St Albans to meet. The fourth qualifier will be either Lancaster Park-Woolston or Burnside West-University who meet on Saturday.

All four senior matches were called off after the arrival of morning rain.

The weather also forced the postponement of the women's cup semi-finals between South Canterbury and Marist in Timaru and East-Shirley and Lancaster Park-Woolston at Garrick Park.

Meanwhile, Canterbury Cricket declined a request for Riccarton and Burnside-West to play their senior match on Saturday because of a player's engagement party.

Because of the Shell Cup semi-final between Canterbury and Auckland on Saturday, Canterbury Cricket applied local rule 46 which states that if there is a date clash with a home semi-final or final club play will be transferred to the Sunday.

"We are trying to be fair and let all people who want to see the Canterbury game get the opportunity,"said Canterbury Cricket club spokesman Blair Hartland.

He said it would have been unfair on the other teams to allow a dispensation to play on Saturday.

Men's points after eight rounds (* denotes teams having had the bye):

Riccarton 11*, HSOB 11, St Albans 10*, Lancaster Park-Woolston 7*, Burnside West-University 7*, East Christchurch-Shirley 5*, Old Collegians 5*, Marist 5*, Sydenham 3*.

Source :: The Christchurch Press (https://www.press.co.nz/)