High scoring cricket game sees Marin shade it against Napa Valley

The Napa Valley Cricket Club (NVCC) had its first game of the year against long time rival, Marin Cricket Club (MCC), at scenic Piper Park, Larkspur recently. In what was a very high standard game, NVCC made 241 runs for the loss of seven wickets off 40 overs only to be beaten by MCC who posted 242 for the loss of five wickets in 38.3 overs.

With NVCC Captain Rob Bolch winning the toss, he elected to bat first on what was an unusually windy day at Piper Park. Top scoring on the day for NVCC was their number four batsman Australian John Leake. Leake’s masterful display of batting brought him a second century (score of 100+ runs) of the season with a score of 102 (not out retired). With this Leake becomes the first NVCC player to score two centuries, and he has done that in his only two innings with NVCC with this first innings at the annual NVCC World Series season opener, he scored another 100 not out retired. Leake is a recent transplant to the Napa Valley having moved with his family to Napa in April this year from the Barossa Valley in Australia and works for Amcor, a wine capsule producer. Leake’s class with the bat is no surprise given that as a teenager he captained the South Australian U17’s side at the Australian National Carnival of Cricket.

Leake found support from fellow batsmen Jeff Keene (27 runs off 56 balls), Tim Ford (27 off 20) and new NVCC member Arjun Pandya (36 off 38) who was run out close to the end of the NVCC innings trying to up the run rate. NVCC’s total of 241 looked substantial and is the second highest run total in the clubs four-year history.

After a great “mash up” lunch of Curry Burrito’s NVCC took the field to defend their 241. MCC captain Minesh Govenji batting at number two teamed up with Mihaly Szigeti, batting at number three, and both batted impeccably for their second wicket partnership of 119 runs. Ultimately this second wicket stand was the difference between the teams. Szigeti was still at the crease to see MCC over the line with a score agonizingly close to a century, posting 99 not out!

It was a tough day with the ball for the NVCC team, with New Zealanders Bernie Peacock 2/27 off 6 overs , and Martin MacKenzie 1/33 off 6 overs, and Australian Leake with 1/56 off 7 overs working hard for their wickets. The bowlers weren’t helped by five dropped catches in the field which didn’t help the cause proving once again that old cliché that “catches win matches”. The result now leaves NVCC one down in the three game series against Marin this 2015 season. The next game is this season long series will take place at the Fairgrounds in Calistoga on Saturday. August 8th.

After the match, NVCC club captain Bolch presented the Clos du Val Man of the Match award to Marin’s Szigeti for his contribution to the game with the bat and in the field.

Score Summary - Full Scorecard

Saturday 27th June, 2015 – Marin Socials CC vs. Napa Valley CC at Piper Park, Larkspur

Marin Socials CC 242 / 7 beat Napa Valley CC 241 all out by 5 wickets. (40 over game / 13 batting)

Napa Valley CC Batting – John Leake 102 runs (retired) off 82 balls (7 x 4, 7 x 6), Arjun Pandya 36 off 38 (1 x 6), Tim Ford 27 off 20 (5 x 4).

Napa Valley CC Bowling – Bernie Peacock 3 wickets for 27 runs off 6 overs, Martin Mackenzie 1 for 33 off 6, John Leake 1 for 56 off 7.

Next Game

Sunday 19th July 2015 at The Fairgrounds, Calistoga vs. Twitter Kabootars (yes the tech boys from Twitter) from 10:30am (check website for details)

Sponsors

The Napa Valley Cricket Club wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the following sponsors

Clos du Val, Silverado Country Club, Compadres Rio Grille, Tonnellerie Saint Martin, Penfolds, St. Helena Optometry, First Priority Financial, Anchor Steam, Amcor, Ciatti, Joseph Cellars, Biagi Bros., Rebel Dog Hot Dogs, Stone Universe, Lyve Systems Inc., TricorBraun WinePak, 3 rock marketing, Calistoga Roastery, Napa Gourmet Foods, Napa Valley Body Connect.