Cricket: Bay's unbeaten run continues

Angus Schaw (left) and brother Scott Schaw were prominent as the Hawke's Bay senior men's cricket team maintained their unbeaten run at the weekend. Photo/File

Hawke's Bay senior men's cricket coach Colin Schaw had every right to salute the depth available to him at the weekend.

Despite five changes to his Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay team which retained the Chapple Cup the previous weekend and the unavailability of four Central Districts players, former Black Caps seamer Doug Bracewell, Ajaz Patel, Blair Tickner and Brad Schmulian, Schaw's troops beat Hawke Cup holders Bay of Plenty in two T20 pre-season fixtures played at Fergusson Park in Tauranga on Saturday. A 50-over match which was to be played against Bay of Plenty yesterday was washed out without a ball being bowled.

"We just seemed to carry on from last weekend. The way we batted was pretty awesome," Schaw said.

While Bay of Plenty cricket supporters pointed out their team hadn't had as much cricket as the Hawke's Bay lads and the hosts weren't showing their visitors all of their artillery in case they meet in a Hawke Cup fixture later in the season, Schaw said it was still a strong Bay of Plenty team.

"Many of their players played against us in the Hawke Cup fixture last summer and Brett Hampton plays for the Northern Districts Knights. Those two wins will definitely give us confidence if we were to meet them again in a Hawke Cup clash later in the season," Schaw said referring to the symbol of New Zealand inter-districts supremacy.

His son, CHB wicketkeeper/batsman Scott Schaw, who didn't play the previous weekend scored 80 not out as Hawke's Bay batted first and scored 193 for five in the first game. He scored 34 off the last over with five sixes and a four. Coach Schaw was impressed with the manner in which his son combined with Christian Leopard who scored 58 in the first game and 39 in the second when Hawke's Bay scored 110 for four in reply to Bay of Plenty's 107 runs. Taradale's Dean Foxcroft scored 29 not out in the second game.

"We were error-free on defence in both games. But our batting was exceptional again ... the highlight of the weekend. The way we adapted to the different levels of accuracy from the Bay of Plenty bowlers was superb because it wasn't an easy ground to play on. It was pretty rough."

NTOB'S left-arm seamer Robbie Brigham, a 2011 Hawke's Bay Ross Shield rugby rep, had a memorable debut for the Bay in the first game with 3 for 21.

"Robbie is only 18 and was pretty nervous beforehand. But he did really well," coach Schaw said.

Another of Schaw's sons, Angus, took 3 for 18 in the second game. His CHB clubmate, leg-spinner Jesse Pretorius, another who didn't play the previous weekend, took 2 for 18.
Hawke's Bay must retain the Furlong Cup, the trophy for the CD two-day competition, to get a crack at the Hawke Cup.

Hawke's Bay's next outing will be on November 5 when they will attempt to retain the Kirk Cup when they host Poverty Bay at Napier's Nelson Park. Bracewell, Patel, Tickner and Schmulian will all be in action when Central Districts open their Plunket Shield four-day competition campaign against Northern Districts in Mount Maunganui today.