Chance for back-to-back win lost
Wairarapa continued its undefeated streak
Rain sets in to run Whanganui out of time in their first innings defeat to Wairarapa in the Furlong Cup. A rare chance for back-to-back victories in the Furlong Cup slipped through Riverview Motel Whanganui’s fingers as Post Office Motel Wairarapa continued its undefeated streak at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday.
On a seam-bowling pitch on Saturday, Whanganui bowled Wairarapa out for 176 but then was ultimately dismissed just 23 runs shy of firstinning points early on Sunday morning.
Whanganui’s bowlers got stuck in to get early wickets in the hope of bundling the home side out quickly to try and slog the runs for an outright victory. Wairarapa’s middle order held firm to eat up the time until the rain set in by mid-afternoon, bringing an early end to play.
Whanganui had started the second day nine wickets down with the hope that veteran Mark Fraser (53) could carry last man James Woodford to secure the remaining 30 runs to get the lead, but Fraser had only the time to hit his fifth boundary and raise his half-century before Ethan Childs (4-32) had him caught out to put his side in pole position.
Both Childs and former Whanganui-based footballer Jake Jonas (3-10) stepped up in the absence of former Black Cap Seth Rance from the bowling crease - the 36-yearold playing as a batsman while still recovering from a painful shoulder injury.
But Whanganui had their issues as current Central Districts Stags batsman Ben Smith arrived in Masterton with a horrible stomach bug, ultimately sleeping during the first session while his side fielded.
“He looked terrible, he couldn’t bat until later in the day,” said Marr.
Smith only came out to bat at No 8 in the order, scoring 25 as he and Fraser looked to rescue Whanganui from 89-6.
They put on a 51-run partnership and seemed likely to carry Whanganui past Wairarapa’s total until Jonas let loose in a devastating spell to follow up from his decisive anchor innings of 82 earlier in the day.
“It was two days of cricket we didn’t get the rub of the green,” said Marr. “There was a bit of controversy at the end of the day.”
After Smith was dismissed to a weary shot and debutant Fred McVerry also fell to Jonas, the clock was reaching 6.30pm so Whanganui assumed their next man in bowlingall-rounder Fraser Kinnerley could just start fresh with Fraser in the morning.
Instead, the umpires cited overrate rules and informed them that five more overs were required, which surprised both sides and kicked off a robust discussion.
“Our over rate was so good so they added them, while theirs was so poor they had to add them – so we were penalised,” said Marr.
Kinnerley then fell to Jonas and although last man Woodford survived the day, Whanganui had to now chase 30-odd runs with one wicket instead of two the next morning.
“It was just part of a combination of things that didn’t go our way.”
Jonas, hitting 10 boundaries and two sixes, had held firm with the bat earlier on Saturday after Connor O’Leary (3-72) and Kinnerley (2-29) ripped through the rest of the top order – Jonas eventually finding support from Quinn Childs (29) and small cameos from Jaco Vorster (15) and Nathan Elliot (11).
The spinner Woodford (2-29) eventually broke up a couple of those partnerships, while the third seamer in Shaun O’Leary (3-15) cleaned up the tail.
“That 176 - I think we could have done better than that, we just couldn’t bowl in pairs,” said Marr.
While Whanganui openers Daniel Burgess (13) and Joel Clark (29) started well enough, an upper and middleorder collapse sparked by Ethan Childs and a run-out reduced Whanganui to 75-5 and it was a battle from there.
In the third innings, again Connor O’Leary (3-42) had the hosts in trouble at 29-3, before skipper Robbie Anderson (24) got help, once again, from Quinn Childs (34) to dig in.
Woodford (2-11) dismissed both of them, being able to tie down his end, but Whanganui could not exert the same pressure at the other, as Vorster (16no) and Rance (17no) batted their side to safety.
“Not enough dot balls. A lost opportunity. We were definitely a seamer short,” said Marr.
The side missed the injured Ross Kinnerley, although Connor O’Leary having now taken 11 wickets in three Furlong Cup innings is to be commended.
The Whanganui team will wait until after the holiday break to play their final Furlong game against Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay, by which time injured skipper Greg Smith should be fully recovered.
Whanganui High School 1st XI finished the Premier 1 round robin with a flourish, following up Wednesday’s five-run upset over final-bound Whanganui Collegiate by beating Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens by 167 runs on Saturday.
The big victory lifted WHS to a respectable fourth-place finish in the six-team table, moving ahead of Wanganui Renegades.
However, the Renegades made some big moves of their own with two victories on Saturday in the eighth round of the Premier 2 Twenty20 competition.
Defeating Collegiate 2nd XI and Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI lifted Renegades up to a share of second place on the table with the Hunterville Hackers, who held on for a thrilling 1-run win over leaders Wicket Warriors Whanganui.
Follow results and draws for the tournament at https:/ /www.playhq.com/newzealand-cricket/org/centraldistricts-cricket-association/