Cricket
Canterbury moved to joint top of the table in the Ford Trophy 50-over competition with a win over fellow table-toppers Auckland on Sunday.
The return of Black Caps batsman Henry Nicholls proved pivotal in the four-run final delivery win at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.
Nicholls scored 120 runs from 124 deliveries to help Canterbury to a first innings total 332/6.
Auckland's chase went down to the final delivery, with the home side needing a six to win or four to tie the match.
Pace bowler Will Williams sealed the win in style by clean bowling Ben Horne who had amassed 101 from just 73 deliveries.
At club level on Saturday, St Albans and East Shirley Christchurch maintained their perfect records after three rounds of the premier two-day competition.
Meanwhile, the premier women's T20 competition began with Sydenham winning both of their round one and two matches.
Premier men two-day results
Sydenham 137/10 (Toby Mowat 69; Trev Garrett 3/31, Fraser Campbell 2/9) and 183/10 (Aditya Edekar 65, Ryan Wallace 51; Will Andrews 4/45, Jack Turner 3/31) drew with Riccarton 186/7 (Matt Laffey 43, Jack Turner 36* Nick Kwant 32; Tim Johnston 5/65) and 102/9 (Nick Kwant 36; Tom Agnew 3/32, Tim Johnston 3/22, Mitch Gardner 2/10).
Burnside West 140/10 (Stephen Murdoch 45, Jackson Latham 25*; Luke Germon 3/27, Sean Davey 2/22, Daniel Stanley 2/26) and 158/10 (Josh Poysden 38, Carl Huyser 35; Harrison Cox 6/59) lost to Old Boys Collegians 227/9 (Jeff Case 75, Daniel Stanley 54; Joshua Poysden 4/52, Sam Carlaw 3/45) and 72/1 (Tom Taylor 40).
Heathcote 90/10 (Chris Gibson 34; James Tapper 4/15, Jack Harper 3/15, Matt Holstein 3/5) and 82/10 (James Tapper 4/27, Bailen Thatcher 2/20) lost to St Albans 96/10 (Ben Langrope 28; Ben Cochrane 3/20, Marek Bungard 3/28) and 80/3 (Tyler Lortan 49*).
Premier women T20 results
Lancaster Park 139/3 (Charlotte Calder 68) beat Old Boys Collegians 124/5 (Missy Banks 60*; Sarah Asmussen 3/17).
Sydenham 100/6 (Felicity Leydon-Davis 41, Isla McKenzie 22; Gabby Sullivan 2/9, Ella Chandler 2/4) beat St Albans 74/10 (Carolyn Esterhuizen 2/3, Felicity Leydon-Davis 2/20 Megam Meltzer 2/14).
Sydenham 120/8 (Carolyn Esterhuizen 44, Isla McKenzie 25; Livvy Thomson 3/36, Tatiana Gibbs 2/16, Missy Banks 2/21) beat Old Boys Collegians 64/10 (Meg Lay 21; Isla McKenzie 3/16, Boadicea Lynch 2/4, Jenna Waghorn 2/7).
St Albans 131/3 (Ash Mortimer 41*, Ella Chandler 29) beat Lancaster Park 81/10 (Jacinta Savage 30; Gabby Sullivan 3/6, Kaylee Tavendale 3/10).
Football
Canterbury United Dragons have sunk to the bottom of the ISPS Handa Premiership following a 1-2 loss to Southern United in Dunedin on Saturday.
The Dragons took the lead through a George King free kick mid-way through the first half.
They held the lead until just past the hour, before Danny Ledwith hit a thunderbolt into the underside of the bar and across the line.
The Dragons unravelled with 10 minutes to go when substitute James Pendrigh was shown a straight red for a robust challenge.
Shortly after, Andrew Cromb capitalised on some indecisive defending to score the winner from a corner for Southern.
After 11 rounds the Dragons have just two wins.
