LTCC make a strong start to their T20 campaign with a win over Otumoetai Cadets and a drawn fixture vs Mount Maunganui

LTCC Premiers show dominant performance to win their first game of the season against Otumoetai Cadets. Having lost the toss at Blake Park, Lake Taupo were sent into bat. Caleb Bate started the season in emphatic fashion, dispatching the first ball for six. Unfortunately, Caleb fell in the first over which brought the two overseas players together, Nafis Shaikh and Archie Harrison. Both players quickly got into their work, rotating the strike well and piercing the infield for boundaries in the powerplay. Harrison and Shaikh made a partnership of 66, an ominous sign in their first game in NZ. Harrison was then dismissed for 43 off 37, scoring (4 x 4’s and 1 x 6’s). Mitchell joined Shaikh, who both continued to rotate the strike and dispatched the bad ball to the boundary. Shaikh was unfortunate, as he made a bottom edge onto the stumps, scoring 30 off 36 including (3 x 4’s). Habib Malik strode in at 5, but was caught in the deep for 6 as LTCC tried to force the run rate up. Zach Forster joined Mitchell with the score on 4- 121. Both began to attack more, with Zach (9 off 10) playing a fantastically executed ramp over the keeper. The pair eventually took LTCC to a final score to 4-169 off their 20 overs. Mitchell ending with 62* off 30 balls (10 x 4’s and 1 x 6’s).LTCC knew a good bowling and fielding performance could lead to an excellent result, and they started off brilliantly. Archie made the first break through claiming the captain, Andrew Mascall who was caught at Mid Off by Caleb Bate. Archie showed what an asset he will be with the ball, bowling his 3 overs claiming 2 – 13. Nathanial Higgins bowled excellently to claim his first wicket of the campaign, caught by Shaikh. Higgins finished with 1-21 off his 2 overs in the powerplay. Shaikh was an ever-present figure in the field, with excellent ground fielding and 3 catches in the outfield. Nafis claimed 2-16 off his 4 overs with his crafty off spin. With the score at 4-48, Cadets regrouped and gained some momentum, however tight bowling in the middle overs by Josh Blatchford (4 - 1 – 28) and Habib Malik (4-1-27) contained the Cadets side, who then required more than 10 an over in the final 5 overs. Zach Forster bowled well towards the end of the innings, (2-0-16) with Aaron Denyer sealing the win, bowling the final over and claiming a wicket (1-1-9). A comprehensive win by the Lake Taupo Premiers, with Otumoetai Cadets finishing 8-131 from their 20 overs. A fantastic fielding effort from all of the team, a special shout out to Jordan Bowles, who has showed great strides of improvement in the field.Mount Maunganui were LTCC’s next opponents. Habib won the toss and elected to bat. Mount Maunganui started well with the ball and made it difficult for Bate and Shaikh to score boundaries in the powerplay. Shaikh fell for 10 to a fantastic catch off, which brought the inform Harrison to the crease. Bate and Harrsion compiled a partnership of 43, taking the score to 64 before Bate was dismissed (37 off 36 balls). Archie showed his class, with some excellent shots against the quality Mount attack, finishing unbeaten on 45 from 39 balls (2 x 4’s, 1x6’s), including an excellent 6 over the bowlers head. Michael Mitchell remained unbeaten on the day, ably supporting Harrison with 27* from 28 balls (1 x 4’s, 1 x 6’s). LTCC came off for rain with the score at 2-121 off 18.4 overs.Unfortunately, with the rain persisting, the game was abandoned with no further play. Another solid batting display from LTCC bodes well for the season. LTCC picked up 9 points from the weekend, leaving them 2nd in the T20 ladder after the first weekend of fixtures.LTCC play next Saturday in the T20 competition against Te Puke and Greerton.