Another one-sided game looked likely between High School Old Boys and Lancaster Park after Old Boys amassed 242 for six and Park crashed to 30 for five. But a batting revival led by Tony Tibbotts and Mark Lane who added 131 for the sixth wicket not only gave Park respectability, but also provided Old Boys with some anxious moments until both were run out, Park finally falling 12 runs short.
Earlier, half centuries by James Barrett and Sam Foley who added 125 together for the fifth wicket provided the heart to the Old Boys innings.
Sydenham was untroubled to overtake Old Collegians' modest 146 from 49.4 overs just two wickets down in the 43rd over at Sydenham Park. Openers Colin Wood and Ken Julian batted freely to share a 109-run stand for the first wicket.
Earlier Carlos McGillivray had claimed five Old Collegians wickets.
Marist made only 113 for nine from its 50 overs against East Christchurch-Shirley with the home side bowling tightly at Burwood Park. None was more accurate than left-arm slow bowler Carl Anderson whose 10 overs yielded just 13 runs.
David Grocott and Michael Owens were similarly miserly with 15 conceded from their stints. Paul McCarthy held the Marist lower order together with an unbeaten 49.
East-Shirley was also slow getting home in the 45th over but youngsters Michael Papps and Marcel McKenzie, who batted soundly, had plenty of overs at their disposal.
Riccarton sounded an ominous warning to the other teams racking the day's highest score of 271 for seven against St Albans at Hagley 3. Riccarton recovered from 37 for three through Gary Stead and English professional Aftab Habib who added 146 for the fourth wicket.
St Albans struggled to 107 against the demanding Riccarton attack led by Wayne Stead and Maxwell while it also fielded athletically.
Burnside West-University avenged its Trophy loss earlier in the weekend to Woolston WMC at Burnside Park. Half centuries by Campbell Ogilvie and Gerald Barrett gave the home team's innings substance with Ogilvie launching into Anthony Timpson, striking three sixes in one over.
Barrett had a noteworthy day removing Woolston's English professional Tim Walton without scoring.
Short scoreboards: Marist 113-9 (Paul McCarthy 49no; Ryan Burson 3-21, Michael Owens 2-15, Matthew Dowman 2-30) lost to East Christchurch-Shirley 114-5 (Michael Papps 41, Marcel McKenzie 22).
Old Collegians 146 (Mike Atwill 37, Jim Blakely 33; Carlos McGillivray 5-25, Todd Harris 2-25) lost to Sydenham 150-2 (Colin Wood 57no, Ken Julian 52).
High School Old Boys 242-6 (James Barrett 62, Sam Foley 58, Andrew Robertson 37; Scott Garven 3-26) beat Lancaster Park 230-9 (Tony Tibbotts 68, Mark Lane 57, Chris Wilson 23, Blair O'Brien 23 no; Sam Davis 5-28, Sam Martin 2-38).
Riccarton 271-7 (Gary Stead 75, Aftab Habib 66, Wayne Stead 36; Murray Griffin 2-41, Jon Fielding 2-64) beat St Albans 107 (James Ward 43; Wayne Stead 3-23, Justin Paul 2-9, Phil Monk 2-24).
Burnside West-University 186-9 (Campbell Ogilvie 53, Gerald Barrett 53, Simon Packman 28; Anthony Timpson 4-52, John Stuart 3-37) v Woolston WMC 146 (Andrew Healey 33, Robert Tibbotts 26; Hamish Kember 3-15, Ogilvie 3-23, Barrett 2-20).