Having won the toss, the Bay shone the ball in the hope of taking advantage of a greenish tinge on a traditionally batting strip in the limited-overs campaign for the bragging rights to the symbol of minor association supremacy in the Central Districts catchment area.
A paltry total of 127 all out from Wairarapa vindicated Noema-Barnett's decision.
"It's fresh wickets so it's a bit green on top so you get some movement early and you also get an understanding of how the pitch is playing and things like that.
"That means you can adapt easily if you're batting second as well," Patel said.
Henry Cameron and Harry Clinton-Baker scored 30 and 32, respectively.
Ben Jackett took 3-27 from seven overs while Patel claimed 3-42 from 10, including a maiden.
Stevie Smidt (1-9), Andrew Mathieson (1-20), Noema-Barnett (0-13), Carl Cachopa (0-11) and Graeme Tryon (1-7) were also frugal but, relatively, untested for now. The spinners found some purchase off a slow pace, he said, but as the weekend wears down it should yield some good carry and bounce.
Even if it doesn't turn much, he's convinced the tweakers will get something out of it.
Tryon, Patel said, offered another allrounder option with his right-arm offspin and as an opening batsman.
The Bay eclipsed their target with 131-1 in 23.1 overs.
Cameron (1-8) and ex-CD seamer Rance (14-0) were frugal.
"Seth got me away for a few but then I got him out at the end," Patel said.
Tryon scored 45 runs, including six boundaries and a six with retired CD rep Mathew Sinclair top scoring with 73, including 11 fours and a six, from 62 balls.
"He did quite well, batting with Skip [Sinclair] and it was just a matter of finishing off from there."
Patel accepted one couldn't ask for weather any better than yesterday's superb statement although "it did get a bit windy at times and took a bit out of you".
He felt every game was important with all sides needing to win three from the eight-team competition to etch their name on the silverware tomorrow.
Teenager Ben Jackett, a left-armer who has the ability to get his deliveries going across the right-handers and back in as well, opened with aplomb.
"He's a great asset and difficult to get away because a batsman doesn't really know what's coming," Patel said.
Despite some pre-tourney talk about getting the balance right, he felt, there was amply maturity among the bowlers to ensure they should live up to their favouritism in a Bay versus Manawatu final tomorrow if everything goes according to the script.
"I think the youngsters will learn a lot too [from the CD campaigners] and they'll get better as well. If we set high standards then they'll follow suit."
CD seamer Andrew Mathieson was hitting the deck hard yesterday and was "slippery as well so he's kind of hard to get away".
"He didn't get the wickets he deserved but he also batted through the powerplays," he said of the Napier Old Boys' Marist player.
Today, the Bay play Nelson in one semifinal while the Michael Mason-coached Manawatu lock horns with Taranaki.
In the losing semifinalists clash for the Cave Cup, Wairarapa play Horowhenua-Kapiti while Wanganui will face off against a Marlborough outfit.
Yesterday, last summer's Hawke Cup qualifiers from zone 2 walloped Wanganui by 142 runs to show they mean business too.
The blokes from the other side of the Manawatu Gorge have ex-Bay rep Tarun Nethula in their ranks this season.
On the adjacent wicket, Taranaki didn't have it all their way before pipping Marlborough by three wickets while Nelson beat Horowhenua-Kapiti by 65 runs.
CD Stags new coach Heinrich Malan, of South Africa, assistant coach Lance Hamilton, back from the NZ A subcontinent tour, and CD director of coaching Craig Ross took notes.
