The Orb360 Counties Manukau Premier League kicked off on a stunning blue sky day at Bruce Pulman Park where the 16 teams provided plenty of colour and entertainment as they vied to get themselves off to a positive start in their quest to make the quarterfinals.
The round was underscored by runs – and plenty of them. In eight games, five teams passed 200 and there were three individual hundreds – Harsimran Singh (Friends XI) 181, Sandeep Kumar (Turtles XI) 154 and Prabhjot Singh (Young Fighters) 116 – a quite phenomenal effort in this form of the game.
The highly regarded sides all flexed their muscles in week one, with Pitch Panthers, Mighty Kings and Charda Punjab picking up good wins while the Sri Lions showcased their all-round skills in a 46-run win against a talented Powerful Rangers team.
For those who enjoy watching quality batsmanship, the match of the day was undoubtedly fought out between the Turtles XI and Young Fighters. The Turtles won the toss and chose to set a target. A blistering 154 off just 72 balls (including 15 sixes)) from Sandeep Kumar parachuted the Turtles to a massive 215/4 off their allotment, and at the innings break they must have been full of confidence. But the Young Fighters lived up to their name and came out all guns blazing with 50 up in four overs, and they just kept going. Prabhjot Singh’s brutal 116 set the platform and the mammoth target was reached with three balls to spare.
Week two is lining up to be just as exciting as the Orb360 CMPL heats up with a number of the rated teams facing each other. Key match ups include the Pitch Panthers v Friends XI and the Sri Lions taking on the Young Fighters after their opening round wins. The action starts again this Sunday from 9am at Bruce Pulman Park in Papakura.
Orb 360 CMPL – Week 1 Results and Tables
Pool 1
Mighty Kings (185/5 – 20.0 overs) beat Manukau Warriors (122/8 – 20.0 overs) by 63 runs.
Hawkeyes (139/9 – 20.0 overs) beat Punjab XI (91/10 – 17.0 overs) by 48 runs.
Table
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Total points | Net run rate |
| CMPL-T20, Mighty Kings | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +3.150 |
| CMPL-T20, Hawkeyes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +2.400 |
| CMPL-T20, Punjab XI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -2.400 |
| CMPL-T20, Manukau Warriors | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -3.150 |
Week 2 Fixtures
Mighty Kings vs Punjab XI
Hawkeyes vs Manukau Warriors
Pool 2
Punjab Lions (121/10 – 16.5 overs) lost to Royals XI (126/7 – 18.2 overs) by 3 wickets.
Charda Punjab (202/6 – 20.0 overs) beat Daredevil (174/7 – 20.0 overs) by 28 runs.
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Total points | Net run rate | |
| CMPL-T20, Charda Punjab | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +1.400 | |
| CMPL-T20, Royals XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +0.823 | |
| CMPL-T20, Punjab Lions | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -0.823 | |
| CMPL-T20, Daredevil | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -1.400 |
Week 2 Fixtures
Punjab Lions vs Daredevil
Charda Punjab vs Royals XI
Pool 3
Auckland Sri Lions (178/6 – 20.0 overs) beat Powerful Rangers (132/10 – 15.5 overs) by 46 runs.
Turtles XI (215/4 – 20.0 overs) lost to Young Fighters (216/6 – 19.3 overs) by 4 wickets.
| Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Total points | Net run rate |
| CMPL-T20, Auckland Sri Lions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +2.300 |
| CMPL-T20, Young Fighters | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +0.327 |
| CMPL-T20, Turtles XI | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -0.327 |
| CMPL-T20, Powerful Rangers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -2.300 |
Week 2 Fixtures
Young Fighters vs Sri Lions
Turtles XI vs Powerful Rangers
Pool 4
Friends XI (282/4 – 20 overs) beat Flatbush Warriors (102/10 – 14.1 overs) by 180 runs.
Pitch panthers (272/5 – 20 overs) beat Eastern Kings (66/10 – 16 overs) by 206 runs.
| Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Total points | Net run rate |
| CMPL-T20, Pitch Panthers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +10.300 |
| CMPL-T20, Friends XI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | +9.000 |
| CMPL-T20, Flatbush Warriors | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | -9.000 |
| CMPL-T20, Eastern Kings | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -10.300 |
Week 2 Fixtures
Pitch Panthers vs Friends XI
Flatbush Warriors vs Eastern Kings
I really love the work that you guys are doing in the name of Kiwi Sports….. keep the stories and special photo shots coming. Loving it. (p.s. – the photographer Bevin Jenkinson is excellent…. maybe hire him into the team as he takes fabulous shots. Cheers