HAMISH BIDWELL The Hinds are winning but coach Lincoln Doull isn't sure how. They had their fourth win in six starts against Northern Districts in Palmerston North yesterday, despite the batting failing to fire once again. They made 171 batting first, thanks largely to an eighth-wicket partnership between teenagers Kendra Cocksedgeand Hawke's Bay's Kelly Tunnicliffe. That at least gave them something to bowl at and with ND extremely hesitant in their running between wickets after having five players run out the day before, the Hinds were able to knock them over for 121 to remain at the top of the State League table. "Things are going very average at the moment but at least we seem to be pushing a few young players through," said a typically frank Doull. "We only batted 44 overs yesterday, which is a cardinal sin in one-day cricket. I've said that if we're all out in the 49th or 50th over that I can live with that but we threw away a few soft wickets. "Our reasonable batsmen haven't really got going and both our better batters have never got going together. Aimee Mason batted well yesterday, but was run out off the bowler's boot from a drive by Sarah McGlashan and Sarah failed again. "If they do fire together then we'll get some good scores but, thankfully, young Kendra Cocksedge from Taranaki did well again. She's had 16 not out, 17 not out and now two 28s and, coming in at number eight, they're hugely handy runs. "She's only a 17-year old girl but she's someone that CD is going to rely heavily on in the next couple of years. She's a great fielder, too, and she's actually bowled 20 overs in the last two games after we hadn't used her at all in any of the previous matches. "She had two wickets yesterday and one the day before and she's done well. We brought young Kelly Tunnicliffe in, as well, to strengthen the batting at number nine and she and Kendra must've put on 40, which was very helpful in the end. "We were 102 for six after about 32 overs, having been 90 for two, and I was certainly a bit concerned at that stage. But, once again, the bowling and fielding was unbelievable and our bowling is really winning us some games this season." Next up for the Hinds is another double-header in Palmerston North, this time against Auckland. Doull concedes he knows little about them. He says there's little point tailoring game plans to suit each team, you just bat first at every opportunity, make 230, then field your tails off.
