Tenancy.co.nz Parnell T20 team win Auckland 1B Championship

(Picture above, from left to right – Jared Fraser-Hards, Jeremy Skinner, Matt Dearing, Adam Gurr, John  Georgaros, Mohan Ball, Richard Kirk, Chris Cairns, Simon Tye, Steve Kirk & Chris Matthews) (Absent: Kane Lindsey))

The tenancy.co.nz Parnell team have been crowned the Auckland 1B Twenty20 champions after crushing the Auckland University Mothriders in Sunday’s final at Bloodworth Park.

Parnell saved their best for last, scoring a resounding 114-run win on a day when rain threatened to spoil the party.

But they wouldn’t be denied. After finishing top-of-the-table (with a five-win, one draw, one-loss record), Parnell created the perfect storm to get revenge over a side which had inflicted their only loss of 2017.

The Panthers racked up a daunting 216-7 off their 20 overs, with Richard Kirk (45*), Jeremy Skinner (43*), Matt Dearing (34*), Chris Matthews (30*) and Chris Cairns (26) all smashing telling contributions to their season best total.

In reply, Auckland University came out swinging but the loss of regular wickets meant the Panthers’ championship win quickly became a formality; the Mothriders bowled out for just 102 inside 15 overs.

Jared Fraser-Hards was the pick of the bowlers with 2/17 but John Georgaros set the tone by picking up the big wicket of the opposition captain for a duck in the third over.

Mohan Ball wrapped up the championship with a wicket and a run-out in the 15th and – what ended up being the – final over.

With the win, Parnell will now play in the Twenty20 1A competition next season.

“It was a great season and we would like to thank tenancy.co.nz for their support,” captain Steve Kirk said.

“All the boys stepped up at different times throughout the summer and to cap it off like that was stupendous.”

Former team member Thomas George Baloghy perhaps summed it up best by adding: “Congrats to the Parnell Panthers, a dashingly cavalier gaggle of willow wielders indeed! Yay you are the champions!”