CRICKET - Players make hay as Cornwall Park pitch favours batters

ANENDRA SINGH
The Cornwall Park pitch has taken its fair share of flak this season.
But on Saturday the Harvey's Cornwall and Craft and Hern Sports Havelock North premier cricket teams yielded runs from the "Lord's" No1 strip to show that talk can sometimes be cheap.
Hosts Cornwall racked up 353-7 off their compulsory 70 overs with Michael Taiaroa top scoring with 94 runs in the first day of their two-day third round encounter.
Damien Hall scored 58 runs and Bath Cricket Club import James Campbell added 36 to the tally.
But it was another Hall, the Hastings club's favourite son, Jono, who had the Cornwall club faithul clapping and cheering.
The Hastings personal trainer had a cameo knock of 58 not out from 24 balls including seven sixes and three boundaries, albeit on a relatively smaller outfield in front of the majestic pavilion.
"It's a nice deck, really. It's really good because for the last two years it has favoured bowlers but now it's a batting track," Hall told SportToday.
"It was the last five overs and there were wickets in hand so I just had a go," he said, adding he had had similar knocks but last Saturday's innings was probably a better one.
Hall said Havelock also made hay, after the villagers were 170-4 at stumps from 35 overs.
Opener John Geddis scored 57 and Bangladeshi Rokon Al Sahariar grafted 61 to make the second innings this Saturday another interesting finish.
At Nelson Park, Napier, Ruahine Motors Central Hawke's Bay won the toss and put defending champions Napier Technical Old Boys (NTOB) in to bat.
It seemed to be the right call from CHB skipper James Mackie after they had the hosts in a spot of bother at 33-3 from 16 overs.
But ecstasy soon turned to agony when NTOB skipper Marc Calkin steadied their innings with 48, including seven boundaries, in a 50-run partnership with George Diack. No 7 Liam Rukuwai was unbeaten on 53 as tailenders Stevie Smidt (27 runs) and Craig Herrick (21) let loose around him to bolster NTOB's innings to a respectable 226-9 in the compulsory 70-over declaration.
CHB pair Ricardo Brooks and David Pimm snared three wickets each.
But the wheels came off the visitors' run chase with a sorry 15-over start at 23-6 before they were skittled for 75 in 29.1 overs.
No 8 James Hooper-Smith was the only batsman to score in the double figures (28 not out).
Tech strike bowler Jeremy Kuru again created havoc, claiming four scalps and taking his season's tally to 22. Liam Rukuwai nailed three scalps.
Calkin, who got four catches behind the stumps, enforced the follow on and CHB were sitting precariously on 25-0 at stumps.
"I thought the pitch was a bit tough to bat on. Left-arm seamer Brooksie and Pimmy bowled well," he said, telling his teammates they hadn't done well and handed the openers the new ball.
"Kuru and Stevie (Smidt) put the heat on and it was awesome to see," said Calkin, a little disappointed they had dropped South African Brendan Ollie in the second innings but chuffed they had only used four bowlers for the demolition job.
Calkin said they had learned from Napier Old Boys' Marist opener Kieran Naoma-Barnett the previous match. The Otago player had not scored from 24 deliveries and then went on to make a ton.
Naoma-Barnett was unbeaten on 76, including 10 boundaries and two sixes, on Saturday after Taradale won the toss and set a target of 295-5 in 70 overs.
With several key players away on Central Districts duties in Hamilton today for the four-day State Championship match against Northern Districts, NOBM coach Brendon Bracewell said his players were battling bravely and amid a test of their player depth.
Dale's Michael Barbour claimed a five-wicket bag after Toby Doyle (83 runs) and James de Terte (81 not out) teed Dale up.
Dale skipper Ben Absolom said the mid-week Stags versus Auckland Aces four-day match had turned the wicket into a humdinger.
"It'll be an interesting finish," he said.