Cricket: Stags putting runs where mouth is

UNBEATEN: Stags batsmen Dane Cleaver (foreground) and George Worker tick things over for the CD Stags at McLean Park, Napier, today. PHOTO/Paul Taylor

The Central Districts Stags are walking the talk after posting a respectable total with five wickets still in the hand at stumps today.

The winless Devon Hotel-sponsored Stags will resume at 317-5 this morning with No 5 George Worker on 86 and No 7 Dane Cleaver on 85 at McLean Park, Napier, in their round six Budget Rental Plunket Shield match against the Wellington Firebirds.

"Overall, it has been a satisfactory day for us," CD coach Heinrich Malan said, after openers Greg Hay and Ben Smith scored 48 and 46, respectively, to provide a platform of sorts.

Malan said the William Young-captained CD had set out today to bat four sessions and by the 96-over stumps they had achieved three.

"We'll need another big session tomorrow morning," said the South African, mindful batting to 110 overs will earn the Stags bonus points.
In that 13-over window he's hoping Worker and Cleaver will achieve their milestone centuries.

"Once we get the boys across that line we can probably bat through drinks and lunch to declare or whatever the game allows for."

Worker carved up 10 boundaries and two sixes in his 183-ball knock while wicketkeeper Cleaver's 138-ball occupation of the crease yielded 13 fours and a six.

Malan thought a 350-plus target was reasonable on a wicket that seemed to be drier than they had anticipated from groundsman Phil Stoyanoff.

With the way the game is taking shape, Malan was expecting the Firebirds to be batting last on a strip that would turn and stay low on days three and four.

"Ajaz Patel is our No 1 spinner and George also will turn his arm."

He said batsman Tom Bruce had got a few four-day wickets so he would perhaps come into play at some stage.

"We know Smith's got a wicket and he's got a golden arm so he could do some damage in the future," he said of the batsmen who got his milestone 2000 first-class runs on reaching nine today.

CD batsmen Mitchell Renwick, of Manawatu, made a two-ball duck on debut at first drop.

Wellington's Dane Hutchinson and Brent Arnel took three and two wickets, respectively.
Heretaunga Building Society Cornwall CC seamer Liam Dudding is 12th man, awaiting debut, for CD while Anurag Verma will run out the snake lollies for the Firebirds.