CD seamer Seth Rance lived up to pre-match hype to claim three wickets against ND Knights. PHOTO/FILE
AS whimsical as Twenty20 cricket can be, someone has to step in to stop the madness that has unfolded in New Plymouth in the first two rounds of domestic men's cricket.
Without doubt the Central Districts Stags are playing outstanding, if not sublime, cricket - if two halves of as many McDonald's Super Smash are anything to go by at Pukekura Park and Yarrow Stadium in gumboot-chucking paradise
"November was very wet across most of the region, with the sites we monitor recording up to 234 per cent of their normal monthly rainfall," the regional council reports on its website.
Enough said so why on earth would anyone want to contemplate staging matches there, let alone on at a venue that is specifically tailored for Mitre 10 rugby in winter?
The Stags risked limb, if not life, at a sand-based Yarrow Stadium on Saturday night in a city where it has predominantly rained cats and dogs almost every day of last week to even postpone rounds of the week-long annual Toro NZ Women's Interprovincial golf tourney.
You can't help feel the guardians of the country's No 1 summer sport are not only letting down the protagonists but also fans, a number you could count on the digits of your hands and toes on Saturday night.
The home of CD white-ball cricket is a tribute to the loyalty of Taranaki fans but, like earthquake-prone areas, it's time to take stock of the infrastructure and viability of persisting in the face of the "uncontrollables".
Yes, you can control what's happening in New Plymouth because logic suggests it's better to play than not.
Just shift back to floodlit McLean Park or Nelson Park in Napier, where most major associations relish coming for a game, considering a few overs are guaranteed even amid spectator apathy.
"Absolutely. We can't wait to get to a proper cricket ground and have a decent crowd," said
CD bowler Seth Rance.
CD shared the points with Northern Districts knights on Saturday but, really, they must feel like they have lost after skittling the visitors for a paltry total after winning the toss.
That loss will be felt after assessing the damage to Doug Bracewell's strapped left knee after he hyper-extended it fielding near the ropes in the 12th over.
Black Caps wider squad member Ben Wheeler had a close call when he lost his footing at the crease in 18.4 overs while tweaker Marty Kain was at risk on numerous occasions skirting the ropes.
Fellow new-ball bowler Rance said CD, after bowling just eight overs in their opening encounter when batsmen had got their 20 under their belt against Canterbury Kings at Pukekura Park, were simply delighted to have got their allotted bowling overs in this time.
"Restricting them to 137 for six with short boundaries was a pretty good effort," said the 29-year-old Wairarapa swing merchant who took 3-30.
Rance, who had ND opener Joe Carter and Australian import Nathan Reardon feathering for three and a duck, respectively, would have got another scalp had he left a skied catch for a cap-wearing incoming fielders Kain or Wheeler off his delivery instead of chasing it into a drizzly floodlit night although who called out clearly first.
After much scrutiny of the drop-in wicket last summer, he gave it the thumbs up.
"It was a lot better. It had good pace and bounce. Obviously the outfield wasn't as good as it should have been because of its sand base which made it hard for Dougie who went down with a leg injury," he said.
Former Black Cap allrounder Jesse Ryder is now on cue to play in Napier in the televised match on Friday night after pulling up lame with a calf strain despite coach Heinrich Malan's optimism on the eve of the match that the 32-year-old was on track to add to his second T20 in two summers but bowling will be a bridge too far.
The Stags, with opening batsman Ben Smith back in the equation, showed promise with Tom Bruce's safe hands in the slip cordon, astute captaincy from William Young in only his second T20, grass hopping Kain's replay-quality run out and good variation from bowlers who would have had to work hard just to get a tight grip on a slippery ball.
Bracewell was the most frugal after two overs and a wicket and George Worker was not far behind at 4.5 runs an over from a wicket-less spin stint from his four allotted overs.
"We've got some really good bowlers in Dougie, Wheels and Kain so we've got a quality line up," he said, adding Worker would play a big part as well.
ND skipper Dean Brownlie top scored with 43 as opener before he was run out, a victim of a poor surface to ground a bat on, while No 5 Daryl Mitchell added 34 although he should have been out to Worker's full toss, deemed a no ball, but he should have been out after lunging outside his crease to mistime the ball.
Mitchell was again out in similar fashion from the impending free hit in 13.4 overs on 15 runs.
The resignation etched on the face of Young, when he shook hands with Brownlie after agreeing with umpires it was unsafe to play, spoke volumes.
"It's disappointing not get maximum points but we'll take it to top the table," said Rance, happy with his ability to take early wickets with a new ball.
"I've backed myself with the white ball for a while now and I've taken some self-confidence and it seems to be paying off now."
His No 1 haircut is working while Movember winner Bruce was looking forward to be rid of his wicked handle bar and so would Ryan McCone his faint facial hair.