Stags skipper continues making hay while sun shines in Alexandra
Here’s another reason why Black Caps coach Gary Stead and his batting sidekick, Craig McMillan, don’t need to look far should push come to shove in resolving some batting issues.
With a rash of personnel away on myriad international duties, the Central Districts Stags batsmen still put the Otago Volts to the sword when the four-day Plunket Shield resumed in Alexandra yesterday.
New CD skipper Greg Hay laid down a platform with his 12th firstclass century as opener on day one of the round three match at Molyneux Park. The Heinrich Malancoached Stags are 278-4 with Hay and No 6 Kieran Noema-Barnett resuming this morning on 130 runs and one run, respectively.
Hay found allies in fellow opener Bradley Schmulian (41 runs) and No 4 Tom Bruce (71 runs) after Dean Foxcroft departed cheaply for 10 at first drop on shield debut.
The 34-year-old from Nelson, who was the second highest run scorer in the red-ball format last season with 786 runs, made up for lost time in the opening two rounds with another milestone not long after Bruce had posted his half century.
He brought up his ton with patient singles shortly after tea, when he was on 96, with 16 boundaries and, it seems, no desire to free up his arms for lusty sixes.
After the 229-ball and 281-minute occupation of the batting crease, Hay, nor Bruce for that matter, felt the compulsion to throw his wicket away simply because he had reached three figures.
They showed utmost respect to the bowlers but, no doubt, when the opportunity arose they were happy to drive, cut and sweep loose deliveries — just ask medium pacer Shawn Hicks and left-arm spinner and debutant Ben Lockrose.
Hay’s too old for the Black Caps?
Hardly because tweaker Will Somerville has made thirtysomething quite sexy in New Zealand cricket again.
Bruce had amassed eight fours and a solitary six, perhaps an involuntary affliction to the diet of white-ball cricket he is so adept in.
But the 27-year-old from Te Kuiti, who has represented his country in 14 T20 internationals, has four firstclass centuries fell to the raised finger of a white coat when Volts opening bowler Jacob Duffy trapped him leg before wicket to break the partnership.
His 119-ball, 172-minute commitment will become a bullet-point when the stumps are finally lifted to declare a result on or before Sunday.
Captain Duffy and fellow new-ball seamer Nathan Smith got two scalps each.