Kiwis draw first blood
Rugby Southland killing competition
CRICKET
Martin Guptill’s summer slam continued as New Zealand beat South Africa by six wickets in a clinical performance in the first Twenty20 cricket international in Wellington last night.
Guptill hit an unbeaten 78 off 55 balls as the Black Caps chased down 148 in a compelling statement of intent to open South Africa’s much-awaited tour.
They got home with four balls to spare and a chance to clinch the three-match series in Hamilton tomorrow night.
Man of the match Guptill clouted five fours and four sixes, with his only hiccup on 70 when he was cracked a nasty blow on the helmet from a Rusty Theron bouncer. He blasted the next ball for four, then, with six needed off the final over, James Franklin (eight not out) finished it.
As a Westpac Stadium crowd of 17,972 roared, Guptill kept them on their feet with his sixth consecutive half-century of the home season to anchor the pursuit of the tourists’ 147-6. It carried on from his 51 in the Zimbabwe test, then 70, 77 and 85 in the ODIS before 91 not out off 54 balls in the Auckland T20 match last Saturday.
Not content with two pieces of fielding brilliance to remove key batsmen Hashim Amla and skipper A B de Villiers, Guptill swung into action with the willow.
Two memorable sixes in one over from tall left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe sent New Zealand on their way. The first pull shot, measured at 102m, went 15 rows back and the second, a 127m blast over mid-wicket, bounced on to the stadium roof.
Led by Morne Morkel who was clocked at 150kmh, South Africa’s bowlers were tidy enough but as long as Guptill was at the crease the tourists never had enough runs. He added 49 with Rob Nicol and 41 with skipper Brendon Mccullum, then 37 with Kane Williamson before Williamson was run out by an Albie Morkel direct hit, leaving 21 required off three overs.
New Zealand made an intense start and rocked the tourists early.
On a slow surface, spinner Nathan Mccullum (1-16 off four) was thrown the new ball and was on target, then a fired up Tim Southee (3-28 off four) welcomed Richard Levi by clanging him on the helmet attempting a hook. Levi slogged out for 13 to Southee soon after.
Then Guptill swooped to remove South Africa’s two dangermen. He flew in to run out Amla (19) with a spectacular dive. De Villiers was never given time to settle, labouring 17 balls for his eight before Guptill snared a screamer at short cover off Ronnie Hira.
Forget Waituna Lagoon, Southland premier club rugby is at tipping point and if it does slip completely into a toxic wasteland it will be the Stags who suffer. A quiet little stoush has been brewing in recent weeks over Midlands’ refusal to play a team in the premier B competition this year.
On the face of things it sounds like a small matter barely worth a mention outside of the minutes of the union’s advisory committee.
However, this little ripple has developed into deeper waves washing over clubland.
Eager to get their way and ensure they didn’t lose players to neighbouring lower division clubs, there has been a threat that Midlands may withdraw its senior team from the premier competition.
Having a Winton-based team competing for the Galbraith Shield has been a much-needed breath of fresh air for club rugby’s top prize and losing it would be a disaster.
History suggests the Eastern/ Northern Barbarians concept will be lucky to last beyond its debut season.
If the worst was to happen and both clubs dropped out of premier, the Galbraith Shield would become a fiveteam competition.
That would be simply untenable. It would hold little interest for the players and it would be a poor nursery ground for representative players.
It would be Oamaru and we would be North Otago.
Rugby Southland plans to undergo yet another club review this season, with a view to changes in 2013.
What the unions must find is a way to retain the clubs currently in premier and bring in another club to get the minimum number of starters up to eight.
I agree club rugby should be for the players. The competitions should reflect the type of rugby the people want to play – be it social or serious.
But if the Stags are to be competitive in the top flight, there has to be a vibrant competition for them to select players from.
Unfortunately, Rugby Southland is playing a major part in killing the premier competition.
By passing the costs from player contracts on to the clubs – accommodation, cars, expenses etc – the clubs are being forced to become businesses in their own right.
Club funds that should be going into making sure the clubrooms are maintained and that junior teams have enough jersies to go around are going into the pockets of greedy, mercenary wannabes that often have little understanding of what it means to be a true professional.
The clubs should band together and agree they will no longer ‘‘pay for play’’ but unfortunately, the level of trust required for this to happen is nonexistent.
That makes it Rugby Southland’s responsibility.
Some club rugby players are being offered exorbitant sums to turn out for clubs. How a player can go through $8000 of ‘‘petrol vouchers’’ in a season is beyond me. I would suggest they need to change their (club-provided) car.
Clubs should be allowed to organise jobs, maybe provide a bit of petrol money where necessary, but that’s it.
Amateur clubs paying players is ridiculous, unsustainable and the beginning of the end for Southland as a serious rugby entity.
But don’t expect anything to change.