Cricket: Strong Hawke’s Bay side on path to redemption

Will Clark, pictured as a New Zealand rep in 2019, now a Central Districts first-class cricketer, is back in the Hawke's Bay side for the weekend's match against Horowhenua Kāpiti, against whom he scored a century last year. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke’s Bay cricket coach Christie van Dyk has been able to name one of his strongest possible sides for a weekend match starting the road to redemption with a Hawke Cup challenge just a fortnight away.

Even with five Hawke’s Bay players in the Central Districts Stags for a four-day match against Wellington in Nelson continuing the defence of first-class cricket trophy the Plunket Shield, van Dyk has been able to name seven others who have played for CD and one who has played for Wellington, for the Bay’s first match of the season on Saturday and Sunday.

The match, the first of five in defence of Central Districts minor associations prize the Furlong Cup, is against Horowhenua Kāpiti in Levin, and also acts as a prelude to Hawke’s Bay’s bid to reclaim national minor associations prize the Hawke Cup against Canterbury Country in Rangiora on November 10-12.

The team for the weekend fields five who have each played over 50 games for Hawke’s Bay, including captain Angus Schaw, with a record 102.

Jono Whitley and former New Zealand Under 19 representative Will Clark, who each scored a century when Hawke’s Bay claimed a first-innings win over Horowhenua Kāpiti in a Furlong Cup match in Napier in December, are both in the side as Hawke’s Bay start their defence of that trophy.

The team is: Jono Whitley, Baylee Foote, Bayley Wiggins (wicketkeeper), Will Clark, Angus Schaw (captain), Dominic Thompson, Brett Johnson, Todd Watson, Toby Findlay, Jayden Lennox, Liam Dudding and Ben Stoyanoff.

The Hawke’s Bay men’s match schedule for 2023-24 is: October 28-29, v Horowhenua Kāpiti, in Levin; November 10-12, v Canterbury Country (Hawke Cup), in Rangiora; November 18-19, v Taranaki, in Napier; December 16-17, v Manawatū, in Napier; January 13-14, v Whanganui, in Whanganui; January 20-21, v Wairarapa, in Masterton; February 16-18, Chapple Cup (one-day cricket tournament), in Palmerston North.

The Hawke’s Bay women’s schedule is: November 12, v Wairarapa, in Masterton; November 19, v Manawatū, in Hastings; December 2-3, Taranaki, in Napier; December 10, v Manawatū, in Palmerston North; January 13-14, v Nelson, in Masterton; February 4, v Wairarapa, in Napier.