Back to basics for cup clash

Wairarapa only have to look back to last season to recognise the threat posed by Wanganui in their vital Hawke Cup qualifying senior match at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval tomorrow and Sunday.
Unlike Wairarapa, Wanganui might already be out of the reckoning for a cup bid this season but they literally thumped Wairarapa in their two-day fixture in 2010 and selector Mark Brown says that is good enough reason to give them healthy respect.
"We can't take them lightly, we know what they are capable of when things go their way," Brown said. "Yes, we can win but nothing is going to come easy."
Achieving the maximum 10 points for outright success might well be enough to have Wairarapa challenging for the trophy labelled cricket's Ranfurly Shield for the minor associations with leaders in their zone, Hawke's Bay, likely to have a tough battle with Taranaki this weekend.
It's an exciting prospect for the Wairarapa squad but Brown is mindful of them not putting the cart before the horse in their tactical approach.
"Obviously, we can't get away from the fact we need to play positively and perhaps take a few risks along the way but we can't afford to get too far ahead of ourselves, it's still important we do the basics well," he said.
Indications are the Wairarapa starting line-up will be the same as that which secured an innings and 123-run victory over Horowhenua-Kapiti in their latest cup match last month.
That Wanganui will provide more spirited opposition than Horowhenua-Kapiti is a given and it will be interesting to see what Wairarapa skipper Sam Curtis will do if he happens to win the toss.
No doubt Curtis and Brown will take the look of the park oval pitch into account, with any hint of a fiery start possibly being enough to persuade them to give in-form pacemen Seth Rance, Dean van Deventer, Mark Scully and Daniel Ingham the chance to let rip.
However, if the pitch is more likely to provide the slowish pace it has for most of this season then the temptation could be for Wairarapa to bat first, to score enough runs to give them ample time to bowl out Wanganui twice. In that case, spinners Steve Coleman, Jamie Holmes, Sam Curtis and Matthew Stringfellow can anticipate a heavy workload.
Batting wise, it would seem certain Tim Lucas and Holmes will again open for the home team after impressing against Horowhenua-Kapiti with Henry Cameron, Curtis and Stringfellow completing a formidable top order. At least one of them will probably have to threaten the three-figure mark in the first innings if outright points are to be earned.
Interclub cricket will also be played in Wairarapa tomorrow with matches in the Umpires Cup senior competition starting at noon. Rathkeale will host Red Star with form suggesting Red Star will start favourites while Greytown will be at home to Wairarapa College. This one is difficult to call and could go either way.