CRICKET: 'No consequence for loss '

Hawke's Bay coach Dale Smidt believes the architects of Hawke Cup cricket have got it all wrong.
``It's very difficult trying to motivate your team when there's no consequence for a loss,'' Smidt told SportToday yesterday after cup holders Bay registered a 43-run first-innings loss at Nelson Park, Napier, against challengers Manawatu.
He was quick to point out that the visitors deserved their victory in the two-day match shortened to 114 overs yesterday after they did not play on Saturday because of damp conditions.
No 4 batsmen Dave Meiring's 53 runs was the foundation of Manawatu's innings after they amassed 169 runs in 60.2 overs on what their player/coach Ian Sandbrook deemed to be an ``unusual Nelson Park wicket'' that leant support to their gritty determination.
Young guns Stevie Smidt (4 wickets) and Jake Smith and Liam Rukuwai, who claimed three scalps each, were the chief destroyers.
In reply, the Bay crumbled for 126 after 46.1 overs with skipper Marc Calkin top scoring with 38 runs, including two lusty sixes into the pavilion, and only Morten Freer, James de Terte and Michael Taiaroa making double figures.
Said a frustrated Smidt: ``We've basically played five rounds of elimination cricket for nothing. We can't challenge ourselves.
``They need to look at that, I believe, because I don't think the structure is right there.
``The incentive for us as holders is if we win the zone the challenge doesn't come out of that zone, that's what I think.
``Taranaki and Manawatu come out here and play with a lot more intensity than us because they know if they can get some more points here it goes a long way to get our challenge down the track.''
Nevertheless, Smidt embraced the advantage to blood young players to battle-harden them.
``The experience and hardness that's missing with the guys away [with the Central Districts Stags] takes a long time to develop with the young guys. That's work in progress,'' he said, pleased with the efforts of his young bowlers.
``We had the better of the conditions today and they [Manawatu] stuck to it _ you know, 120-4, and we capitulated.''
Sandbrook was ``rapt with the win'', claiming their season was on the line and a weather-affected result for Taranaki would keep them in the hunt for a challenge.
``We were a little desperate. We haven't done well here in the past so it was quite a big moment for us in our belief [considering] Hawke's Bay are the holders of the cup and have done well in the past few years.''
Manawatu are on 17 points and Taranaki, he believed, gained only two points for a tally of 19 to put his side back into the equation.
Sandbrook named Meiring his player of the match. While commending all his bowlers, he singled out young openers Adam Milne and Bevan Small for bowling ``exceptionally well''.
* All Bay club cricket matches, bar fourth graders and women, were played on Saturday after city councils closed grounds.