Hawke’s Bay club cricket returns to McLean Park for first time in decades

It's been decades since Hawke's Bay club cricketers graced the hallowed turf of McLean Park. Photo / NZME

McLean Park, here they come.

For the first time in decades, club cricket will grace Hawke’s Bay’s premier sporting venue when Napier Technical Old Boys meet Central Hawke’s Bay in the MJF Shrimpton Memorial Cup 50-over final on Friday.

It’s not come cheap, with each of the competition’s six teams paying increased fees this summer for the hireage of McLean Park, but it’s an occasion everyone associated with club cricket is looking forward to.

“It’s exciting. I think only Jayden [Lennox] has played there before, so we’re going to have 10 or 11 blokes that have never played there and never ever really been in the changing rooms to be honest,” Tech captain Todd Watson said.

It’s similar for CHB. Opener Jack Boyle has played there for Central Districts alongside Lennox but Angus Schaw, for instance, hasn’t made any of his four-day, 50-over or Twenty20 appearances for the Stags on McLean Park.

“It adds a little bit more excitement to what will already be an exciting occasion, playing for a trophy,” CHB captain Dominic Thompson said.

Hawke’s Bay Cricket Association chief executive Craig Findlay says club cricketers in other districts play semi-regular matches on international venues and he’s simply responded to demand here.

“Clubs over the years have asked about playing at McLean Park and we’ve said ‘it’ll be at your cost’,” Findlay said.

The fee is understood to be in the vicinity of $3000.

Findlay remembers playing for Hawke’s Bay Emerging Players on McLean Park in 1990. It’s not historically unheard for local club and rep teams to have played at the ground pre-1990, but he’s certain none have since.

“It’s pretty special. All of these players will have been there to watch the Black Caps, Magpies, possibly the All Blacks as well, Six60," said Findlay.

“And now we’ve got an opportunity for 22 of our best club cricketers to play out there.”

Tech got there courtesy of finishing as the competition’s top-qualifier.

Rain at Nelson Park saw their semifinal abandoned, with Havelock North 115/2 chasing Tech’s 317/6.

Havelock’s innings concluded at 18.3 overs, nine balls short of the 20 overs required to constitute a legitimate match and bring the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method into play.

Havelock was ahead of the required scoring rate at the time play was halted but, with no result possible, Tech advanced by virtue of their higher seeding.

Rain also intervened at Forest Gate Domain in Ongaonga, where Cornwall was set a revised target of 157 in 32 overs to beat CHB.

Cornwall was well on track until CHB offspinner Toby Richardson took 4-5 in nine balls, to bowl the visitors out for 128.

Earlier, CHB had scored 197/8, before the rain arrived with Cornwall 40/1 after 6.1 overs of their reply.