Horowhenua K¯apiti in contention for the Hawke Cup for first time in decades

Horowhenua Ka¯ piti is in with a shot at a rare Hawke Cup challenge after beating Whanganui on the first innings in a qualifying match.

This came on the back of the Bears’ historic first-innings win over Hawke’s Bay before Christmas and leaves them third in the Furlong Cup table, behind perennial favourites Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu¯ . The Chad Law-coached Horowhenua Ka¯piti are a side transformed this season and their derby showdown with Manawatu¯ in Levin later this month promises to be a cracker.

At Donnelly Park in Levin last Saturday, Bears captain Andre Halbert won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like a somewhat green, but still solid batting wicket.

Opener Adam Simonsen and Law put on 133 for the third wicket before Simonsen was dismissed for a grafting 88 from 186 deliveries.

Player-coach Law soon followed for a courageous 78 from 161 as he battled through a knee injury.

A regular loss of wickets through the middle overs saw the team go from 185-3 to 247-9, as Central Districts Stag Ben Smith took 4-18 to run through the Horowhenua Ka¯ piti middle order.

An entertaining last wicket partnership from Keegan Maclachlan and Carter Andrews saw the Bears through to 299. They struck eight boundaries in their stand.

With 18 overs left on day one, Horowhenua Ka¯piti’s own Stag, Ryan Mccone, took two wickets before three quick wickets from Fraser Bartholomew just before the close of play had Whanganui reeling at 5-41 at the end of the day.

Whanganui fought back early on day two but then lost wickets to be 137-9. Smith, who was injured in the field, came out at 11, joining Akash Gill.

The pair began swinging as they tried to avoid the follow-on but fell just short as Whanganui was out for 195. Gill was not out on 65 and Smith made 25. Mccone picked up 3-16 off 11 and Bartholomew 3-24 off 11.

Whanganui knuckled down in their second innings, determined to salvage a draw. They were 214/7 at stumps.

Nearly every player in the Horowhenua Ka¯ piti team was used by captain Halbert, as he searched for a wicket, but no-one could find a way through.

Keegan Maclachlan was particularly impressive and bowled better than his figures of 10 overs for 1-23 suggest. Whanganui opener Sam Sheriff batted his team to safety with a gutsy 92 from 195 balls.

Horowhenua Ka¯piti last had a Hawke Cup challenge in 1986/87.