Cricket: Rukuwai in blistering form with wickets

Hawke's Bay bowler Liam Rukuwai celebrates his nine-wicket haul with wicketkeeper Luke Kenworthy

The best way to counter an aberration and shut up critics in sport is to hit back with a don't-argue-with-me victory.

Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative cricket team did just that when they beat Wanganui outright in their Hawke' Cup cricket match in Napier yesterday.

"It was a good turnaround because last week was a bit of a shambles," said Bay opening bowler Liam Rukuwai, who wore the captain's armband for the first time the previous Sunday when they were at the receiving end of a seven-wicket flogging by Poverty Bay in the 50-over Kirk Cup match on a dodgy wicket at Harry Barker Reserve Park, Gisborne.

"Last week we were first on the pitch and the batters didn't do their job," said Rukuwai who claimed nine scalps in the two-day, zone 2 match at the weekend to earn the right to challenge for the symbol of minor association supremacy in the country that Manawatu hold.

While delighted with his effort, Rukuwai, 25, who grappled with his injury demons last summer, deflected his achievement to his fellow bowlers who kept their foot on the visitors neck.

"I've also had a little bit of help from the pitches [in premier club cricket]," said the building apprentice after a solid start to the 2014-15 campaign.

The Stevie Smidt-skippered Bay were 285 all out in 68.2 overs in their first innings on Saturday after losing the toss.

Player/coach Mathew Sinclair again laid down the foundation with 124 runs from 151 balls, including 17 boundaries and three sixes at No6.

Wanganui could manage only 134 in reply, but Sinclair didn't make them follow on, opting instead to give his bowlers a rest or, arguably, put his top order back out there to show some mettle.

The hosts did, adding 100-3 declared in their second dig with No3 Graeme Tryon 54 not out.

The Bay sent Wanganui back home early in the second innings by skittling them for 141.

Sinclair didn't see his knock as a sign that the batting wasn't really there yet.

"For me it's about them learning from my knock," he said, happy the Bay had made some inroads in the second spell.

The strong gusts, especially on Saturday, were unsettling but his bowlers put the ball in the right areas.

"We attacked one end and defended the other."

Wanganui new-ball merchant Ryan Slight won the respect of Bay batsmen, albeit mostly on day one when it had a greenish top, when he claimed seven wickets.