Ingham a huge threat in McBride-Petersen Cup

One of the highlights of the Wairarapa cricketing calendar, the annual McBride-Peterson Cup match between Wairarapa College and Rathkeale College, will be played at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval in Masterton tomorrow and Sunday.
And, as usual, it will have a dual purpose with the result also counting towards the Bidwell Cup senior inter-club competition.
History indicates there is seldom little between the two colleges and this year should be no exception.
There has been one draw after the side batting last needed three runs off the final over with eight wickets down and maiden was bowled while the biggest winning margin has been 10 wickets in a match which finished two hours short of the scheduled close.
Wairarapa College probably start favourites this weekend by virtue of the fact they are the current holders of the trophy, and in addition they boast more year 13 players than Rathkeale.
That extra experience can often be telling in games of this type.
In Daniel Ingham Wairarapa College have a class act.
He was man of the match last year and has just completed a successful season for the Wairarapa senior reps.
He will be a huge threat with bat and ball.
Ingham can expect strong support from other old hands in wicketkeeper Sam Treseder, opening batsman Joe Beech and opening bowler Ollie Burt.
They have all been in consistent form this season.
Wairarapa College can also call on other promising talent in the likes of Tom Adamson, who will playing in his third McBride Peterson Cup match, Mark Cummings and Gordon Reisima while the latter's younger brother, Martin Reisima, will be looking to build on his successes at the recent under-15 tournament in Marlborough.
There he was the bowler of the tourney with his left arm spinners and played a major role in the unexpected first-ever triumph by the Wairarapa team at this particular event.
Rathkeale College are rebuilding after the departure of Dean van Deventer, the Wairarapa senior rep who was such as important cog in their machine, both as a top order batsman and opening bowler.
He is now overseas.
Only two year 13 players are in the Rathkeale squad but they do have a promising contingent of year 12 players, including skipper Matthew Stringfellow.
He is an opening batsman whose ability to occupy the crease for long periods comes straight out of the Glenn Turner coaching manual.
Rathkeale also have the enigmatic Jamie Holmes who, on his day, can swing the result of a game either through his aggressive stroke play with the bat or his leg spin bowling.
Alec Morrison is an economic bowler and gritty batsman while Ben Foster also shone for the Wairarapa under-15s in Blenheim. He captained that team and looked in fine touch in the batting department.
They should both serve Rathkeale well as should exciting all-rounder Harry Greenwood.
Of the two colleges Rathkeale have had the better build-up to this weekend's fixture.
They turned on an excellent performance against one of the top secondary school sides in the country in Marlborough College, the highlight of which was the 135 scored by Jamie Holmes.
More recently, however, they went down in a disappointing manner to arch rivals, Wanganui Collegiate.
Wairarapa College, on the other hand, have not had such opportunities to experience the intricacies of the two day game but one can safely assume they have prepared thoroughly for this assignment, and will be ready to strut their stuff.
Let the battle commence!
The Bidwell Cup fixture between Greytown and Red Star will get underway at Greytown tomorrow with the second day of that match being scheduled for the following Saturday.
With Greytown currently holding down second place in the Bidwell Cup and leading the Umpire's
Cup points table they clearly have the form book in their favour,
and the return of star all-rounder Seth Rance to their fold after successful stints for Central Districts A and the Wairarapa reps gives their prospects an extra boost as well.
It will be doing nothing for the confidence of the Red Star batsmen either to know that Rance invariably extracts zip from the Greytown pitch, and that he runs in just as hard in club games as he does at the higher level.
But dangerous as he is at the bowling crease don't be surprised as his career progresses if Rance actually becomes more a batsman who bowls rather than the other way around.
He is a wonderfully clean striker of the ball and has all the shots at his command.
In simple terms he makes batting look easy, and that's a gift few players have.
Red Star do, however, have in Brad Edwards an opening batsman who has made a huge impression with the Wairarapa senior reps this season through his consistent run getting and he is a gritty, determined player who will actually relish the opportunity to lock horns with Rance.
Their individual battle should be
a cracker in every sense of the word.
Bidwell Cup leaders Flight Centre Lansdowne have the bye tomorrow and that will give club officials the chance to finalise arrangements for a fundraising night on February 21, the highlight of which will be the removal of Doug Johnston's moustache, something which has adorned his face for 23 years Rumours suggest Johnston was talked into this act of bravery over a few beers with Lansdowne skipper Sam Curtis, but they are only rumours of course!
Who will do the actual shaving remains a mystery but we will keep you posted!
Meanwhile, current points tables have been released for the various inter-club competitions and they are:-
BIDWELL CUP SENIOR: Lansdowne 18, Greytown 15, Wairarapa College 8, Rathkeale College 7, Red Star 2.
UMPIRES CUP SENIOR: Greytown 24, Lansdowne 20, Red Star 20, Rathkeale College 10, Wairarapa College 6.
OPEN GRADE: Lansdowne No.2 28, Cossie 28, Greytown No.3 24, Wairarapa College No.2 20, Greytown No.2 20, Marist Old Boys-Chanel 12, Lansdowne No.3 12, Red Star No.2 8, Wairarapa College Colts 8, Rathkeale College 0.