Horowhenua ?friendly? no Mickey Mouse match

Don't suggest to Wairarapa senior men's cricket selector Dick Kendall that the result of his team's "friendly" with Horowhenua-Kapiti at Levin on Sunday will be of little consequence in the bigger scheme of things.
Kendall is firmly of the view that even in games where competition points are not up for grabs winning is the only desirable outcome, and that's the culture he is determined to instill into his players.
"We want to make winning a habit and that starts from now," he said. "Sunday is no different to any other we will play. We want to win, and win well."
The 12 players Kendall has named to travel to Levin will not necessarily all be involved in the side's Hawke Cup elimination games a little later in the season.
Indeed the match has been labelled as being between the province's two B sides but both are wisely taking the opportunity to play a number of players who are strong contenders for A team selection.
"I suppose you could say it is a trial as far as the players are concerned," Kendall said.
"If they want to make the A team then they have to show up in games like this. And if they don't then we just might have to look elsewhere."
Kendall makes no apologies for the fact that no fewer than five college players - Andy Dodd, Simon-Clinton Baker and Doug Bracewell from Rathkeale, Seth Rance from Wairarapa College and Ben Hodder from Kuranui - are in Sunday's line-up.
They have all been in good form at club level and Kendall is keen to give them the chance to show they can successfully make the step up to representative play.
All five of the college players have sound all-round skills although Dodd is probably seen more as a batter who bowls and Clinton-Baker, Bracewell, Hodder and Rance as bowlers who bat.
Rance will probably open the bowling with Greytown paceman Hayden Spierling, who himself is still very much a youngster. Bracewell and Hodder are quickish medium pacers who could be at second and third change with left arm spinners Clinton-Baker and Dodd to follow.
Kendall describes the attack as "very young and inexperienced but very exciting too.".
He said they would offer considerable variation in styles and their youthful enthusiasm could be a big plus too. "These are young fellows thirsting to get out there and have a go. They don't fear anything," he said.
Captaining the Wairarapa XI on Sunday will be Lansdowne's Sam Curtis who will probably open the batting with Wairarapa College's Cameron Stone. Last year's senior A skipper-and the man expected to do that job again this season-John Peters will be at three with Henry Cameron at four and Keinzley Agvet Academy player Eddie Hopkins at five. Then will probably come Dodd and wicket-keeper Andy Roberts.
Kendall said the onus would be on the experienced quartet of Curtis, Stone, Peters and Cameron to make a big impact at the batting crease.
"They are all very competent players at rep level and we need them to come off for us on a regular basis," he said.
"Consistency in the top order batting is really important, the better the platform they provide the better for the team."
That Sunday's game is a trial for the players is evidenced by the fact that at least two current squad members who look near certainties for Hawke Cup selection, all-prounder Ngatai Walker and wicketkeeper-batsman Will Rist, have been rested from his particular game.
UMPIRES CUP
It's back to one-day cricket for senior club sides tomorrow with another round of matches in the Umpire's Cup series.
Perhaps the most interesting of the three matches will be that between Lansdowne and Greytown at the Pugh Sportsbowl.
A superb all-round performance by Chris Jefferies saw Lansdowne emerge as victors when these two teams clashed in a Bidwell Cup two-day game last weekend but the limited-overs game is an entirely different kettle of fish and Greytown's vast bowling resources might give them the edge on this occasion.
Wairarapa College and Keinzley Agvet Academy meet at the Park Oval while Rathkeale and Red Star will lock horns at Rathkeale. Both those games look too close to call.
THREE FROM THREE
Marist Old Boys are on a roll in the second grade inter-club competition, having won three from three, including a resounding six wicket win over Red Star last Saturday.
Stars batted first and were all out for 147 with Gavin Tubman providing the highlight with a knock of 44.
Spearheading an accurate Opld Boys attack were Mark Scully (3-51), Josh Cooper (3-18) and Gerald Lologa (3-1)
Lologa also starred with the bat, scoring 80 to follow on from his 106 against Kuranui College.
He and Ben Taylor put on 86 for the first wicket but then three quick wickets to Tubman slowed the Marist Old Boys progress. However, Jeremy Calkin hit up a quick 19 to win the game for them by six wickets.,.