Anendra Singh
Central Hawke's Bay Cricket Club stalwart Colin Schaw has accused a Napier club of player-poaching, saying it has sounded the death knell for the Central club in the premier grade competition starting this Saturday.
"Napier Old Boys' Marist (NOBM) have pretty much helped put a tack into the coffin, mate," an angry Schaw, 40, said from Waipukurau last night after losing the services of Daniel Drepaul and several other regular players through injury and other commitments.
"Our biggest disappointment is with Drepaul. We paid for his airfares from the UK three times to play in Central. "We've helped him out as much as we can with coaching in the area and then Marist come along and dangle a carrot, and bang, he's gone," the former CHB captain, who now helps with the club's administration, said.
Former CHB wicketkeeper and top-order batsman Drepaul, 29, last night declined to comment while training with his new teammates at Napier Boys' High School. He instead nominated his coach, Tony Pothan, to speak on his behalf after a five-minute discussion including NOBM skipper David Bovey.
Pothan said: "It seems from our club's point of view that people have short memories with regards to (NOBM players who had played for CHB) Dave Bovey, Bevan King and a few others.
"Daniel's also doing some coaching for us. We haven't paid him any money and he's come to us of his own accord," he said.
However, Schaw said he had been in touch with other clubs which claimed Pothan and Bovey had approached their players to play for NOBM.
"For the record, Dave and Bevan played for CHB because they were living in Palmerston North at the time and it seemed a logical choice," he said, confirming he was going to pull on his whites after a two-season lay-off to field a team against Tech at Nelson Park, Napier, on Saturday.
"I'm probably more bitterly disappointed with Marist poaching players from a small town area like ours.
"We will struggle to put 11 players on the park this season and yet teams there should look for talent in their own backyard - Napier and Hastings is a big area."
Six teams compete in the Hawke's Bay Cricket Association's 50-over one-day competition. They are Ruahine Motors CHB, defending champions Thirsty Whale Napier Technical, last season's finalists, NOBM, Harveys Cornwall Cricket Club, Merson Contractors Roofing and Spouting Taradale and Best United Travel Havelock North Cricket Club.
The salt in the wound, Schaw said, was that Drepaul did not bother to tell the club he was leaving.
"We never heard from Drepaul to this day that he was going away. I heard it from rumours on the sidelines," said Schaw, claiming he had to "confront" Drepaul on the phone after he had moved to NOBM abpout two months ago.
"Drepaul said he didn't enjoy it with us because he didn't make too many runs. Okay, so is it CHB's fault then? It could sound like sour grapes ... but all it'll be doing is strengthening a few clubs.
"If that helps cricket in Hawke's Bay then I'll eat my hat," Schaw said.
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