Marlborough cricket coach expects step-up
Establishing batting consistency is top of the priority list when Marlborough begin their 2017-18 Hawke Cup zone three qualifying campaign in Westport on Saturday.
They take on Buller in a twoday clash, both sides intent on making a strong start to their respective campaigns after failing to progress from the group stage last season.
Marlborough head coach Jarrod Englefield did not mince words when looking back on their most-recent qualifying campaigns. ‘‘Our Hawke Cup performances over the last few years have been atrocious really, so we need to see big strides forward and improvement.’’
In Marlborough’s favour as they travel west is the fact they will be familiar with the conditions in Westport, having played on Buller’s artificial pitch last month.
‘‘We have put a big emphasis on this game. We have some insight into the wicket and we have been training on artificial at home so we are well prepared for it. We have got high expectations of putting some good performances on the board. I’m expecting a lot from this group.’’
On November 18, a Marlborough side travelled west to help the locals celebrate 150 years of cricket in the region with a 45-over game at Craddock Park and came away with a 62-run win.
Marlborough scored 250 from 44 overs, Harry MacDonald top scorer with a hard-hit 45, alongside opener Luke Frankland (38), Rikki Bovey (33), Prabodha Arthavidu (39) and Ben Blackman with 32. In reply, Buller started promisingly but when Bovey removed key allrounder Troy Scanlon for a game-high 53 the home side’s innings folded. Bovey picked up four wickets and Ben Blackman three, but the pick of the Marlborough medium pace attack was Sam Boyce who snared the wicket of their second key batsman, Andrew Duncan.
Frankland, who has a broken finger, is out for the weekend while Landon Neal, last season’s rep skipper, returns to the squad in a bid to lengthen the batting line-up.
Several of the Marlborough players have shown promising recent form. Bovey scored a
patient unbeaten 91 last weekend, Josh Poole smashed a stunning 130 not out in Friday’s Twenty20 mode action, while wicketkeeper/batsman Ma’ara Ave produced 69, also unbeaten, on the artificial wicket at Renwick on Saturday. Arthavidu, making his Hawke Cup debut for Marlborough, is another key batsman. Spinners Bovey and Matthew Stretch are expected to get plenty of work.
Buller’s effort will be spearheaded as usual by the talismanic Troy Scanlon, a threat with both bat and ball. Scanlon has played over 100 games for Buller and was instrumental in leading them to their first Hawke Cup triumph in 2015.
Last season Buller came to Horton Park and effectively ended Marlborough’s hopes of securing a place in the Hawke Cup zone three qualifying final. Chasing Buller’s first innings total of 323, Marlborough were dismissed for 205, their batting fragility a familiar theme throughout the qualifying matches in 2016-17. In that match former Marlborough player Greg Knowles scored 99 and Scanlon 67. They, along with Duncan and Alistair Burnett, are dangerous batsmen, especially on the familiar surface. Sam Jope and Ethan Slee will make their Hawke Cup debuts.
Rules for this year’s Hawke Cup elimination games allow teams to utilise 12 players, similar to the Chapple Cup.