Cricket: Patel bags five as rain robs the Bay

Bay seamer Ben Stoyanoff prepares to release a delivery against Wairarapa at Rathkeale Coellege grounds yesterday.

Wairarapa v Hawke's Bay Rathkeale College

An outright victory would have been much better but when one takes in the other variables at the weekend, a first-innings points win will do the Hawke's Bay senior men's representative cricket team just fine.

"It hasn't stopped raining all today, to be honest," said Colin Schaw, the coach of the Pay Excellence-sponsored team after the match was called off about 5.30pm with Wairarapa at 51/1 in their second dig following 22 overs in their two-day Hawke Cup-qualifying, zone 2 Furlong Cup game yesterday on the outskirts of Masterton.

The visitors won the toss and chose to shine the ball with some venom, skittling the hosts for 91 runs in 36.4 overs.

Only Henry Cameron offered any resistance with 51 runs as opener while the rest came and went like rushing clients at a bank.

CD spinner Ajaz Patel was the bank teller raking in the deposits, claiming a five-wicket bag although the seamers were unlucky not to take scalps.

In reply, the Bay amassed 227 in 50.5 overs with Rupert Young top scoring with 58 and captain Jacob Smith opened with 51 but after a middle-order collapse No10 Charlie Robson came to the party with 31 not out.

"We had gone with the intention of claiming outright points but taking first-innings points is pretty good," coach Colin Schaw said after becoming aware main threat Manawatu had managed a similar result against Taranaki yesterday.

Schaw said, in the session after tea, Wairarapa had put them under pressure but they had done the job.

The Bay host Taranaki next at Nelson Park, Napier, in the third round of the cup qualifiers on January 16-17.

Before that, though, the Bay will play against Hamilton in a friendly one-day encounter in Taupo the Sunday before the cup qualifier.

"Ajaz patel bowled very well this weekend so I hope he'll get back into the CD side again now that the Twenty20 is over for them," he said.

Schaw was expecting a few members of his Bay squad to be named in the Central Districts A side to play a few games in the next few weeks in Palmerston North and Taupo.