Focus turns to Furlong Cup
Manawatu¯ have to refocus on the longer format of the game after being bundled out in the semifinals of the Chapple Cup one-day competition.
Manawatu¯ were beaten by seven wickets by Hawke’s Bay in the semifinal of the Central Districts one-day tournament at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, on Saturday, so will have to put their energy into the twoday Furlong Cup competition. Manawatu¯ next play Taranaki away in the Furlong Cup in the first weekend of December.
Nelson won the Chapple Cup title, beating Hawke’s Bay by 31 runs in Sunday’s final at Donnelly Park in Levin. Nelson scored 20-5-8 batting first, then dismissed Hawke’s Bay for 174.
Manawatu¯’s playoff for third and fourth against Marlborough on Sunday was rained off. Manawatu¯ beat Wairarapa by four wickets in the first round on Friday.
In the semifinal, Manawatu¯ posted 224-9 batting first, but couldn’t stop Hawke’s Bay reaching 225-3 in 33.4 overs.
Manawatu¯ coach Luke Murray didn’t want to make excuses and said they were outplayed.
‘‘I think we battled away pretty hard to where we got to. I think their bowling strangled us a wee bit through the top of the innings. The first 15 to 20 overs, we battled away.
‘‘They bowled really well and tied us down, and we weren’t able to get any momentum going.’’
Murray said they scrambled through to 224 to give them something to bowl at.
He said Hawke’s Bay may have been better prepared for the tournament, with more earlyseason cricket.
In Manawatu¯’s innings, they were 57-3 in the 17th over, but Trent Mcgrath provided the glue for their innings with 55.
Lots of the batting order made starts, but no-one went on. No 11 Thomas Kirk hit 23 not out from 13 balls to get Manawatu¯ up to 224.
Paceman Joey Field captured 3-30 for Hawke’s Bay, while Ben Stoyanoff and spinner Jayden Lennox took two wickets each.
In reply Hawke’s Bay opener Bayley Wiggins hit a quick-fire 75 from 68 balls and shared in a 79-run stand with Brad Schmulian, who scored 48.
Christian Leopard finished things off with an unbeaten 50.
Manawatu¯ made a change to their bowling attack for the semifinal, bringing left armer Thomas Kirk into the team in place of Carlos Jensen to give them more variation in their attack.
Central Districts left-arm seamer Ray Toole was supposed to play on Saturday, but twinged his back in the warmup.
Taranaki won the second-tier Cave Cup final, beating Horowhenua Kāpiti by 194 runs. Taranaki scored 288-9, then bowled Horowhenua Kāpiti out for 94.
‘‘I think we battled away pretty hard to where we got to.’’ Luke Murray
Manawatu¯ coach