WHEN every ball was met in defiance, players from both sides shook hands and the Central Districts Stags had said their prayers in the changing rooms with coach Heinrich Malan, the question had to be asked: "Did you bat too long before the declaration yesterday [Thursday]?"
The way table-topping Northern Districts were left poking and prodding on the batting crease on the final day of the four-day Plunket Shield match at Nelson Park, Napier, one wondered if a target of 450 would entice the visitors to free their arms. Every Knights player, bar opener Joseph Carter, got into double figures on oodles of deliveries.
"Absolutely not. If anything it made life very difficult for Northern Districts by keeping them out on the field," said CD's newly signed bowling coach, Ben Smith, who will roll up his sleeves for the McDonald's Super Smash T20 campaign starting early next month.
Englishman Smith, a former Stag, said another session and a day would have done the trick.
It was the sort of stuff that would make Nick Kelly (56no runs from 229 balls), Bharat Popli (60/189), Tim Seifert (29/99) contenders for the Mark Richardson "cramping" award in first-class cricket at the end of summer.