Cricket: Manawatu break Hawke's Bay hearts and pave way for Taranaki to challenge for Hawke Cup

Hawke's Bay spinner GC Pretorius rolls his arm as Manawatu batsman Dave Meiring backs up in the Furlong Cup match at Nelson Park, Napier, yesterday. Photo/Warren Buckland

Everything looked fine and dandy for a good part of two days but adroit sporting codes in Hawke's Bay have learned that you can never right off the spirit of any team from the city immediately on the other side of the Manawatu Gorge.

Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative cricket team got another reminder to their detriment when Manawatu crushed their hopes of a Hawke Cup challenge yesterday, most likely against Counties who are on the front foot against holders Bay of Plenty with the last day's play today.

The Michael Mason-coached visitors clinically eked out a first-innings victory in their two-day Furlong Cup affair at Nelson Park, Napier, to pave the way for Taranaki as Central Districts zone two challengers for the symbol of minor association cricket supremacy in the country.

Taranaki led for three rounds of the Furlong Cup campaign but the Bay leapfrogged them in the fourth round. However, in the final round yesterday the Craig Ross-coached side only held a slender lead and needed at least a first-innings result with batting or bowling bonus points after Taranaki posted an outright victory over Horowhenua-Kapiti at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, at the weekend.

Ross was proud of Bay captain Jacob Smith and his men who painted a sombre picture in the changing rooms.

"Obviously we turned up [yesterday] morning after a very good score [on Saturday] but the batting conditions were a little testing because of a bit of moisture on the top of the pitch," he said, after the hosts lost every toss in the cup campaign this summer and Manawatu asked them to pad up.

But the No 7 wicket in the middle of the park was up to first-class standard, he said, as the Bay racked up 427-9 to declare in 94 overs on Saturday.

Smith scored 77 runs, CD Stags player Christian Leopard added 98 while GC Pretorius was unbeaten on 54 and Liam Rukuwai was 45 not out.

In reply, the visitors batted a few overs to stumps but spent the rest of yesterday on the park to remain unbeaten at 7-428 in 121 overs when the umpires lifted the bails.

Scott Davidson was 114 not out, captain and CD red-ball batsman Mitchell Renwick scored 77 runs, Tom McGrath added 64 and Dave Meiring 63 after Manawatu openers Henry Collier and Mason Hughes laid a decent foundation of 32 and 40, respectively.

Smith used nine bowlers but, ironically, part-time spinner Bradley Schmulian took 4-26 from 12 overs.

Pretorius, also a tweaker, claimed 2-99 in what Ross described as a benign batting wicket.

"During the week the boys worked hard to water it but it just dried out and it was an absolute batter's pad."

However, the Bay coach felt the bowlers lacked a bit of consistency and about three chances were grassed albeit later in the day.

"It was very, very hard to get past the bat and the pitch was just benign, which is the right word to use."

He said Smith's men needed first-innings points but nine scalps proved elusive for bowling bonus points by the 85-over mark yesterday.

Ross said it was a frustrating day for cricket with the aspirations of Furlong Cup gone.

The interim coach after Hawke's Bay Cricket sacked Colin Schaw, of Central Hawke's Bay, just before Christmas, said he gave the players a pep talk in the changing rooms to seek wickets.

"It was only after they started to chase the game that wickets came on a difficult pitch.

"We are all really disappointed and gutted we didn't win the Furlong Cup and that we aren't going to the challenge but that's cricket because things didn't go our way in the last few days," he lamented, reflecting on what-ifs with pitches.

Asked if the Bay had declared too early on Saturday, Ross replied: "No, not at all. We;'re very happy with that."

The issue, he said, was the longer they left the surface the friendlier it was becoming for batsmen.

"We weren't that accurate [on Saturday night] but the game we played against Taranaki in round three, in front of the pavilion on No 3, just had more bounce and pace so we just didn't have the conditions on No 7 so our bowlers, as much as they were trying to bend their backs and give the balls a rip, we just didn't have much happening with the ball and, in fact, it didn't trouble the batters at all."

Despite heightened expectations here, he said Manawatu were giant killers this season for a reason.

"They played nicely, took their time and were very patient in building partnerships and didn't take too many risks."

Only two balls beat the bat in the Manawatu innings - Luke Wright who clean bowled Collier and Schmulian who did the same to Renwick.

"I can't fault their commitment so they are very disappointed but they'll bounce back and learn from it and better for it next season.

"I'm really proud of the boys."

Reflecting on their season, Ross said there were a couple of missed opportunities (Wairarapa in round one), bad weather (Whanganui in round four) and it didn't help their cause to dictate terms when skipper Smith lost all five tosses of the coin.

"All those points add up and so that put us under a lot of pressure," said Ross, adding he had played Hawke Cup cricket in Northern Districts and had encountered similar conditions.

Angus Schaw, who is the younger son of Colin, wasn't named in the side, was included on Friday after batsman Graeme Tryon got concussed at training, he said.

"He played well and got up a little higher to bat in Graeme's position," he said of Angus Schaw.

Ross congratulated Taranaki and said the Bay would review their season to see what they could do better next summer.