Tough two day battle ends in draw
A game of two halves as rivals’ hopes see-saw
It was a game of two halves, appropriately enough over two days, as Riverview Motel Whanganui batted out the draw with Subway Manawatu at Fitzherbert Park on Sunday.
An outstanding 223-run partnership between the professional Ben Smith (135 not out) and the youngster Carter Hobbs (92) for well over three hours against the same bowling attack which on Saturday laid waste to the entire Whanganui first innings for 116, saw the visitors avoid an innings defeat and reach the end of play well safe.
Manawatu had shown Whanganui how to cultivate, reaching 213-4 by the end of Saturday’s play to secure firstinnings points, although the visitors working hard in the field on Sunday morning, securing a couple of runouts, had the hosts declare on 301-7 rather than try to push for a higher score as they wanted ample time to dismiss the underdog’s again.
It stings the Whanganui leadership group that after improved preseason preparations they still have first-day issues with the bat, as Manawatu won the toss and put them in on a somewhat lively pitch.
Coach Warren Marr said the start was alright, the Whanganui top three looking to play themselves in as Manawatu’s openers weren’t quite getting the length.
“But then they got their act together and they have a good seam attack.
“We couldn’t cope, they were better than us with ball in hand.”
Paceman Jack Harris (6-43) was the chief destroyer, while Matt Rowe, who back in March made national headlines for taking six wickets in one over for Palmerston North Boys High 1st XI, finished with 2-22.
Only Ross Kinnerley (41 not out) batting at No 9 was able to both play himself in and then begin to work the
bowlers around, but he ran out of tailenders to support him, being stranded short of a deserved 50.
In reply, anchored by Mason Hughes (82), by the end of the day Manawatu had worked their way to a 97-run lead, off nearly the same number of overs Whanganui had faced.
Jerome Robinson (29) and Arana Noema-Barnett (34) combined with Hughes, and after they went, Trent McGrath (75) and skipper Bevan Small (52) took over.
“Clearly, I’m getting sick of saying we’ve got to score runs in the first innings,” said Marr.
“Overnight, we knew they were going to come hard at us this morning.”
Whanganui’s bowling lines had not been too flash on Saturday either, but come Sunday morning they made the hosts work for their runs – spinner Hadleigh O’Leary (2-68) combining with skipper Greg Smith for both a catch and run-out.
Still, sent back in with well over 70 overs left in the day and trailing by 185 runs, Whanganui had a tough task ahead, and while Harris picked up opener Joel Clark in both innings and Greg Smith fell to Brad Fulton, that brought together Ben Smith and Hobbs.
For the rest of the afternoon and into the early evening, the pair thwarted everything that a frustrated Manawatu threw at them – ultimately giving nine players a turn at bowling.
Last year at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park, Whanganui had also managed to survive the day by seeing off 87 overs, but they only had one wicket left and were totally defensive, scoring 127 as they just hunkered down under the barrage.
Smith and Hobbs were different; they defended but still played their shots to break up the bowler’s rhythm and eventually their confidence – striking 22 boundaries and two sixes between them.
Marr was delighted that Hobbs, in his sophomore season, got to work with Smith, who did not have to protect him from the strike.
The youngster - who gets his pedigree from his father and uncle at the Wanganui United club - played a chanceless innings until his late dismissal, which after 178 balls was more from fatigue than anything else.
“That innings of Carter Hobb’s today, I can’t speak highly enough of him.
“I’m hoping that’s a defining innings for him. That is a seriously decent attack [he faced].
“That partnership saved the game for us. To bat through a whole session without losing a wicket is sensational.
”[Manawatu] tried everything. That’s our duty as cricketers, when we can’t win the game we have to deny the other team from winning it.”
Hobbs deserved a century but when he finally fell to a catch his job was done, with O’Leary joining Smith to see off the last of the 77 overs at 255-3.
Smith, who has committed to Whanganui for the full campaign, raised his record seventh century for the association, facing 195 balls, to once again move ahead of his teammate in veteran Mark Fraser on six centuries.
“Dogger was happy to sit with his feet up and watch it. He had his pads on for most of the day,” said Marr.
“The feeling of the group is still really positive, we know Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay are the benchmark.”
Captain Greg Smith was also pleased his side had the better of Sunday’s play.
“We all had the belief from ball 1 that we could bat the whole day.
“There was a fantastic partnership there, great to see a young player that has potential but hasn’t shown it yet, to [now] show he can play at this level.
“We can take the positives but we have the disappointment because we know we can do the first innings as well. A Whanganui of old would have folded today.”