Cricket: Schaw, Schmulian leave Taranaki in spin

Hawke's Bay spinner Angus Schaw celebrates taking the caught-and-bowled wicket of Taranaki batsman Matt Thomas for a five-wicket bag at Nelson Park, Napier. Photo/Paul Taylor

Just a point separates Hawke's Bay from leaders Taranaki in the Furlong Cup cricket campaign after the hosts claimed a first-innings victory in Napier yesterday.

The Pay Excellence senior men's representative side's 375-8 declaration was enough to build pressure in the two-day match after Revital Fertilisers Taranaki won the toss at Nelson Park and elected to bowl.

Bayley's Real Estate Havelock North CC batsman Schmulian scored 149 runs from 242 balls, including 10 boundaries in his 295-minute occupation of the crease after a few wobbles on a a wicket with a greenish tinge.

Schmulian, who debuted for the CD Stags with a double century this summer, said he was happy with his knock despite offering a couple of chances to the fielders in the back end of his innings.

"I was patient for the majority of the innings and allowed the more aggressive batsmen to score," he said.

The visitors put up a fight in their reply before they were skittled for 253.

Bay spinner Angus Schaw was the toast with a five-wicket bag that included former first-class openers Peter Ingram (80 runs) and all bar Dean Robinson (64) in the top order.

"We made sure we took a few hard chances when we bowled but, at the end of the day, we were patient for very long periods of the time," said Schmulian.

Taranaki skipper Matt Thomas said laid down the platform but the loss of a clump of wickets in the middle order put paid to their chances of claiming more points.

"They bowled well throughout the innings and kept the squeeze on so I don't think we got above three an over at any time," Thomas said, lauding the wicket as a good batting strip but maintaining Taranaki would have shone the ball first after winning the toss because the greenish tinge would have disappeared a few overs later to rob bowlers of traction and early wickets.

"To be honest, our bowlers were off the mark in the first 10 or 15 overs so we probably didn't utilise that favour.

"After that they batted pretty well and we just tried to hang in there."

Thomas rued a few missed opportunities, especially dropped catches.

"When you have first-class batsmen out there you don't give them three or four chances but he played really well so hats off to him," he said of Schmulian.

Thomas said it wasn't all doom and gloom because Taranaki still had a chance to earn the right to challenge as CD region contenders for the Hawke Cup, the symbol of minor association cricket supremacy.

"With the new points system, we might still be one or two points ahead still," he said of the table toppers.

CD administrator Scott Briasco, of Napier, will email the standings early this week after crunching some numbers from the other games at the weekend.

Taranaki have to play Horowhenua-Kapiti and Manawatu with maximum points in the offing from outright victories but the weather can add a cruel twist in any of the remaining fixtures.

"Manawatu will always be tough but HK [ Horowhenua-Kapiti] are also on the improve this year," he said.

Thomas said it was "awesome" to have ex-Black Cap batsman Ingram back in the fold, not just because of his batting prowess but his mere presence which added value to the young crop of players.