Cricket: Bay win but need to be sharper

GONE: Hawke's Bay opening batsman Luke Kenworthty loses his wicket. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

It may have looked like a stroll in the park yesterday but against better opposition it could have felt more like walking up Te Mata Peak.

That's what bothers Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay senior men's representative player/coach Mathew Sinclair after his troops beat Horowhenua-Kapiti by seven wickets in their opening match of the Chapple Cup tournament at Nelson Park, Napier.

"We gave away too many four balls in the first few overs so against better oppositions we would have struggled," Sinclair lamented last night before they play Taranaki today on day two of the Central Districts' annual interdistrict tourney.

"But I was quite impressed with how we bowled in good areas to create pressure."

The Stevie Smidt-captained Bay won the toss and had Ewen Thompson's men padding up only to be all back in the pavilion for 140 runs after 35.3 overs.

Only ex-Black Cap player/coach Thompson, at No 3, and opener Andrew Pine offered any resistance with 37 and 31 runs, respectively, for the visitors.

Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags spinner Ajaz Patel claimed 4-35 including two maidens from his 7.3 overs.

"Patel bowled into the wind and he bowled intelligently to get his wickets," Sinclair said, adding the Sharpies Driving Range Taradale CC bowler varied his pace with aplomb as he had done in helping his club win its maiden HBCA Kilbirnie Sports Twenty20 title last weekend.

"He got 40-odd wickets for Hawke's Bay in their Hawke Cup campaign last summer so he's maintained his form as one would expect of someone wanting to play for CD," Sinclair said in his maiden coaching season at the helm of the Bay team.

However, Ruahine Motors Ford Central Hawke's Bay bowler Charlie Robson claimed 2-13, including two maidens, from six overs.

"I've been pretty impressed with Robson. He's come back from overseas and just carried on from there," the former New Zealand cricketer said of the right-arm medium/fast bowler.

Taradale youngster Ben Stoyanoff claimed 2-21 from six overs, including a maiden. Smidt, Andrew Mathieson and Kieran Noema-Barnett all kept their foot on Horowhenua-Kapiti's throat.

Three-time defending champions Bay's top-order batsmen wobbled a little in their run chase before eclipsing the total with 142-3 in 28.2 overs.

"I was a little grumpy with how our batsmen got out when the ball was new and hard," said Sinclair who steadied the ship at No 4 with an unbeaten 52 in establishing a partnership with No 5 Noema-Barnett who was 53 not out.

Joining the revolving-door co-operative were openers Doug Bracewell (2 runs) and Kenworthy (25) and No 3 Graeme Tryon (1).

"Dougie was trapped lbw for one, Tryon chased a wide one and Kenworthy nicked one so the guys did not stick around to see us through the tough times," Sinclair said.

"Batting in the Bay has generally not been good so I'm looking for players who can give us batting time."

Bracewell will have a spell of bowling today and 10 overs tomorrow.

Indika Senarathne returns to premier club cricket duties for NTOB today while CD captain Kruger van Wyk didn't start for the Bay yesterday because of shoulder injury and is out for seven days.

CHB captain Scott Schaw comes into the 12-man team today.

Other results:
? Wairarapa 188 all out (S Rance 42, J Holmes 28; D Skeaping 4-32, S Baxendine 2-24, S McGowan 2-31) lost to Nelson 189-7 in 22 overs (stats unavailable) by 3 wkts.

? Wanganui 246-5 in 50 overs (Mark Fraser 109 not out, Ben Smith 75; I Harris 2-26, A Milne 1-32) lost to Manawatu 248-5 in 44 overs (stats unavailable) by 5 wkts.

? Taranaki 277-7 in 50 overs (W Young 89, J McDougall 55, D Robinson 47; J Lamb 2-48, B Blackman 2-50, N Weaver 2-58) bt Marlborough 204-6 in 50 overs (J Lamb 58, B Wheeler 38; J Watkins 3-29, R McLeod 2-38) by 73 runs.

Today's games:
Chapple Cup: HB v Taranaki, Manawatu v Nelson.
Dave Cup: Horowhenua-Kapiti v Marlborough, Wangnaui v Wairapa.