Cricket: Heartache for Bay U17 boys

William Clarke (left) and Adam Winter do their bit for Bay U17s but it wasn't enough as Taranaki won the final in Napier yesterday. PHOTO/Paul Taylor

THEY came agonisingly close but it was not to be as Hawke's Bay boys lost by 29 runs to their Taranaki counterparts in the final of the annual Central Districts Under-17 tournament at Nelson Park, Napier, yesterday.

"I understand they were in a strong position but they fell over towards the end," Hawke's Bay Cricket Association coaching development officer Dale Smidt said last night.

The visitors won the toss and padded up before they were skittled for 144, which gave the Mike Pawson-coached Bay side some confidence going into their innings.

Right-arm seamer Alex Ryder spearheaded the Bay attack with a frugal 3-13 at 1.63 runs an over while Lachlan Drummond was the top scorer with 42 runs at No 7 and Oliver Burbidge adding 27 at No 8.

Bay parents and fans phoned HB Today to say the hosts were on the verge of lifting the crown but, as it turned out, Taranaki had other ideas.

Taranaki dismantled the Bay batting line up for 115 runs with 32 balls remaining and just four players posting double figures.

Left-hand opener Patrick Muldowney top scored with a patient 30 runs from 69 balls.
The chief destroyer for the champions was Shaun Fowler claiming 5-21 from 10 overs, including a maiden.

Smidt said top-order batsman Cranswick, wicketkeeper/captain Kurtis Weeks and Ryder were selected for the CD under-17 squad.

The Bay under-15s also were on track to become champions at Weraroa Domain, Levin, on Thursday but rain came to Whanganui's rescue in the final.

The Smidt-coached team were 167 all out with Bailey McDonald scoring 42 runs and Hunter Lowe chiming in with 31.

Whanganui were 17 for three wickets when rain abandoned play as left-arm swing merchant Lowe claimed all the scalps for a miserly two runs.

"We would have won that game but it's a bugger," said Smidt, revealing both teams agreed to replay the game in mid-February at a neutral venue, perhaps at Palmerston North.

"Once the kids have their schools organised then we'll have another crack at the game," he said.

In their first game at Rathkeale College grounds, the Bay beat Wairarapa outright by an innings and five runs.

Sam Ferguson claimed 4-12 in the first dig while Liam Hall took the honours with 4-15 in the second innings.

No 4 McDonald was the top scorer with 63 runs while No 3 Harry Mowat added 51 to the cause.

In game two at Weraroa Domain, the Bay had to toil to beat Nelson by three wickets. Seth Taylor took 3-9 in helping dismiss Nelson for 192 runs while McDonald (46 runs) and Mowat (38) were pivotal in the run chase for the Bay's 194-7.

In game three, the Bay thrashed Marlborough by 131 runs after posting a daunting 260-6 with McDonald scoring 61 runs, Lowe adding 51 and Mowat contributing 35.

Lowe claimed 3-15 in helping skittle Marlborough for 129.