United Cricket Club (Counties Manukau) Incorporated

United CC Senior A were pitted against Karaka at home for their opening One-Day encounter of the 2009-10 season on Saturday, 24th October '09.

United captain Harley Bayliss won the toss & put Karaka into bat. Aided by half-centuries from M. Neale & M. Schofield, Karaka scored 210 for 9. Anthony Brookes, Lawrence Minchinton, Matthew Forrest & Harley Bayliss grabbed two wickets apiece, while Aaron Rowe chipped in with one.

United's reply was solid, but painfully slow. The strategy seemed to be to have wickets in hand & launch an assault later. The first two wickets fell at the score of 49, but 23 overs had been consumed by then. The third wicket partnership doubled the score in 11 overs. At 100 for 3 from 34 overs, when the asking rate was a fraction under 7.00 runs per over, the assault was launched, but in doing so, wickets kept falling regularly & United folded-up on 179, losing the season's opening encounter by 31 runs.