Pearl Dawson Trophy Final | Takapuna 89/9 (N Patel 3/21) lost to Auckland University 93/1 (K Gurrey  71*) by nine wickets.

Auckland University are Pearl Dawson Trophy champions for 21/22 after a comprehensive fielding and bowling effort set up a nine-wicket win over Takapuna.

University skipper Prue Catton set the tone at the start of the second over with a superb direct-hit run out from backward point. From there, University only grew into the game.

While Takapuna’s Izzy Gaze hit four boundaries, the Ponies lost regular wickets. The University attack maintained the squeeze as Nensi Patel (3-21) and Samantha Petherick (2-11) played key roles in keeping Takapuna to 89/9 from their 20 overs.

The Ponies have kept sides to less this summer, but it was always going to be a tough ask on an outstanding Kennards Hire Community Oval wicket.

University’s Katie Gurrey was in no mood to waste time, adding 61 for the first wicket with Catton.

The opener eased any University nerves, blasting an unbeaten 71* off 32 balls in a knock that included 11 fours and the only 2 sixes of the match. Gurrey’s knock raced University through to the T20 title in the 9th over.

Elimination Final | Takapuna 120/4 (I Gaze 51, R Allright 3-23) defeated Howick Pakuranga 102 (S Shahri 41, J Barnett 3-21) by 18 runs.

Earlier, Takapuna had won through to the final on the back of 67-run second wicket stand between Izzy Gaze (51) and Arlene Kelly (27).

Rae Allright shone with the ball for Howick Pakuranga, taking three of the four Takapuna wickets to fall. The Llamas bowlers stuck to their tasks to win the death overs and keep the defending champions to 120/4.

With power at the top, Howick Pakuranga would have been confident of getting ahead of the rate. Takapuna, though, have confidence in their attack and the six bowlers employed combined well to remain in the contest.

Though Saachi Shahri fought to keep Howick Pakuranga’s hopes of returning to the final alive, the Ponies were never far away from a wicket.

Once leg-spinner Jane Barnett (3-21) claimed the wickets of Howick Pakuranga’s all-round trio, the burden weighed heavily on Shahri’s shoulders. It wasn’t to be for the Llamas, who lost Shahri on 41 before Takapuna finished the game with a pair of run-outs to advance to the Final.