Impressive wins not enough

Gordon Reisima attempts a sharp slip catch during Hawke Cup cricket, Wairarapa v Wanganui, at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton on Sunday. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

COMPREHENSIVE as it was Wairarapa's win over Wanganui in their Hawke Cup zone two qualifying cricket match at Queen Elizabeth Park oval in Masterton over the weekend was not enough to sustain their chances of earning themselves a cup challenge later in the season.

Wairarapa picked up the maximum 10 points through their outright win which came after they declared their first innings closed at 323-8 and then dismissed Wanganui for 121 in their first innings and 146 in the second.

Wairarapa's Daniel Ingham persuades a "streaker" to leave the field during the Hawke Cup clash. PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

It was the second successive outright win for Wairarapa, coming hard on the heels of a similar result against Horowhenua-Kapiti, and took them to 21pts, 13pts behind leaders Hawke's Bay with just one series of qualifying rounds to go. Second on 28pts are Manawatu, who are the only team close enough on the points table to Hawke's Bay to have any hope of overhauling them and being the zone two challengers as a consequence.

Those two teams met last weekend with Hawke's Bay coming away with 7pts for a first innings win. Manawatu batted first and made 196 to which Hawke's Bay replied with 241. Manawatu were 11-1 in their second innings when play ended.

Taranaki, who share third with Wairarapa on 21pts, won their fourth round fixture against Horowhenua outright. Taranaki scored 189 and 195-5 and Horowhenua-Kapiti 169 and 126.

Zone two points are: Hawke's Bay 34, Manawatu 28, Wairarapa 21, Taranaki 21, Wanganui 7 and Horowhenua-Kapiti 1.

The draw for matches to be played on February 13-14 is: Taranaki v Wairarapa at New Plymouth, Manawatu v Horowhenua-Kapiti at Palmerston North, Wanganui v Hawke's Bay at Wanganui.

Wairarapa coach Neil Perry said the major priority for his side against Taranaki would be to build on the significant improvement they have shown over their past two games.

"Picking up two outright wins like that is a massive achievement but we are by no means the finished article, not by a long shot," he said. "There are still things we need to work on and that's where the focus will be."

What pleased Perry most about the victory over Wanganui was the consistency in both the batting and the bowling.

"It was a very solid all-round effort and that's what wins matches at this level," he said. "If you give an attack like ours the runs to play with then they are always going to make it difficult for the opposition."

Indications are that Kelsey Fahey and George Deans will miss the Taranaki match because of other commitments but Central Districts age group rep Liam Burling, who was unavailable for the Wanganui game, will return. There is also the possibility that Wairarapa could have the services of former Black Cap Jesse Ryder, who has been starring for Central Stags and is not contracted to play for them in the Plunket Shield four-dayers which get under way today.