Smash hit by Avatiu

The Avatiu-Nikao men’s cricket team caused a huge upset on Tuesday when they rolled into Muri and snatched up the mid-week Cookie Sadaraka trophy.

Avatiu won the toss and elected to play to their strength and bowl first.

Muri got off to a steady start with Bobby Hunter and Space Raumea putting on 32 runs before Hunter was bowled by Avatiu’s 15-year-old James Alchin.

It was the youngster’s final game for his Avatiu club and by far his biggest achievement in the sport.

Muri continued to keep the score moving with Space top scoring on 62 to help guide Muri to an impressive 146 from their 20 overs for the loss of 5 wickets.

Avatiu got off to a sluggish start with a couple of wickets falling in the first 10 overs for just 54 runs.

Enter Avatiu’s master blaster Corey Fisher who smashed the ball to all corners of Nukupure Park hitting 8 sixes and scoring 52 runs to bring Avatiu-Nikao to the brink of an upset win.

He was assisted at the crease by Brent Litherland (24) and Tom Wicks (23 not out) who scored the winning runs with a 6 in the last over to bring the Cookie Sadaraka trophy home to Avatiu-Nikao for the first time in the revamped club’s short history.

Avatiu-Nikao’s first defence is against Davana next week.