Cricket: Eight sides bowled out but eight are back

HARD LUCK: Taradale CCwill not be defending their HBCA T20 title this weekend. PHOTO/FILE

A LOT can happen in cricket between summers - coaches change, players find a modicum of stability in their lives to resurrect their playing careers while some blokes simply retire or put study, work or family first.

That is expected but what the Kilbirnie Sports HBCA Twenty20 Tournament in Hawke's Bay shows is a lot can happen in the space of a weekend marred by inclement weather.

Postponed from last weekend, the annual pre-season affair has dwindled from a 16-team competition to an eight-team one - four from the Bay and the rest from the capital city.

"We're depleted by teams who have other commitments," said HBCA chief executive Craig Findlay last night, "but the eight who are there will thoroughly enjoy getting on Nelson Park because we had a lot of rain last week."

Yesterday the warmth and northwesterlies in the region would have dried the grounds to provide good batting wickets.

Defending champions United Travel Taradale are the notable omission because they had planned to host Levin Old Boys tomorrow.

"Taradale tried to get Levin into the T20 as a team but they had to be back home by midday on Sunday," Findlay lamented.

"They were gutted because they have done a lot of work in winter," he said, revealing the Maroons have inherited players from other Bay clubs this summer as well as luring a couple of imports.

Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay and The Station Napier Old Boys' Marist (NOBM) also will be absent because they are shy in player numbers.

"CHB were banking on 3-4 university students last week but they couldn't this week because their exams start from next week so it's not easy for them."

A lot of logistics had been involved in moving things around but not everyone could be accommodated.

"Napier Old Boys' Marist just couldn't get a team."

However, Findlay said because HBCA wasn't starting normal premier men's club competitions this weekend many players had made other commitments.

Even Complete Flooring Napier Technical Old Boys (NTOB) are struggling for numbers while the Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall CC team will have a better show of numbers on Sunday.

"It won't be what we expected it to have been. It's disappointing but we did it in the last week of September to accommodate Northern Districts and Auckland."

The Christchurch, Auckland and ND teams have withdrawn because their normal season commitments have kicked in, including the Bay of Plenty rep trials.

"But next year they are all keen to come back but it may be hard with the Christchurch club who don't want to come every year."

Findlay said the Wellington teams would offer stiff opposition with their T20 champions Taita here as the newbies as well as previous champions Onslow (2012) and Hutt Cricket Academy (2013).

The top qualifiers from both pools will go straight into the final on Sunday but no games will be held on a Friday this year.

Sriram Krishnamurthy is the player/coach of Taita although he arrived a month ago in Wellington from Australia where he was full-time Melbourne Renegade coach.

Krishnamurthy, their only spinner, said they were the Cricket Wellington premier T20 champions and runners-up in the two-day Pearce Cup competition.

"We have lost one or two players to retirement but we've recruited three to four good young kids who have had some premier game time but they will definitely be stepping up in Napier, where it will be an audition for them," said the 29-year-old originally from India.

Wellington A player Phil Tunnicliffe will captain the side.

Group A: Napier Tech, Marewa, Hutt Cricket Academy, Taita.

Group B: Havelock North CC, Cornwall, Onslow, Karori.