Manukau can sniff another title
Manukau are within reach of winning back-to-back titles in Counties Manukau club cricket’s two day championship.
The defending W. H. Taylor Trophy champions are third in the standings and are only four points adrift of Pukekohe-Metro with an easier ride home against strugglers Waiuku and United.
They consolidated their position courtesy of the 14 points they got from their washed out first innings win against Karaka at War Memorial Park last Saturday
Manukau had the upper hand in the match and looked poised for an outright win having reached 240-7 in reply to Karaka’s first innings of 92.
Teenager Sandeep Patel had a game to remember. He took 2-7 and scored 114.
He’d be hoping to repeat the effort against Waiuku at Massey Park, Waiuku on Saturday and against United at War Memorial Park, Manurewa starting on March 11.
They are matches his skipper Ashwin Herwels is not taking lightly.
‘‘I wouldn’t say we have the favourable run home. It would be wrong to take any team lightly. Maximum points will be nice and will stand us in good stead. But anything is possible.
‘‘United are improving every season as they have shown so we must treat them with respect.’’
Herwels says representative cricket could threaten Manukau’s chances.
‘‘Losing representative players to higher honours always throws a spanner in the works. However, we do have the depth this season to call on.
‘‘We haven’t been as consistent this year, but then again we did set the bar pretty high after winning all three trophies last year.’’
Front runners PukekoheMetro, first innings winners over Papakura last round, are odds on favourites for an outright against United at Mountfort Park, Manurewa starting on Saturday.
But they have to get past Karaka who hope to rebound against Papakura at the Karaka Sport Park.
Points (after three rounds):
Pukekohe-Metro 56, Karaka 53, Manukau 52, Papakura Waiuku 24, United 16.
Draw (Round four): Date: Start:
37,
Waiuku v Manukau, Massey Park, Waiuku. Karaka v Papakura, Karaka Sport Park, Karaka. United v Pukekohe- Metro, Mountfort Park, Weymouth. February 25/March 4. 11am