Cricket: Hawke’s Bay seek revenge in Hawke Cup challenge

Hawke's Bay pace bowler Liam Dudding playing for Central Districts A against Wellington A in Napier last week, helping Central to a seven-wicket win by taking 5-59 in the first innings and 2-18 in the second. Photo / Paul Taylor

In a season of cricketing firsts there’s still room for one in Hawke’s Bay, despite the number of records and statistics being bowled over at the World Cup in India.

And it’s all good for Hawke’s Bay coach Christie van Dyk, who for the first time since he took over the reins three seasons ago has been able to name the same 12 for two matches in a row, as his side heads for the South Island to challenge Canterbury Country for national minor associations trophy the Hawke Cup.

The three-day game, which had to be postponed in February because of Cyclone Gabrielle, will be played in Rangiora starting on Friday and will be a chance for he and the team to inter memories of another particular rare event, in which Hawke’s Bay were dismissed twice for under 100 and beaten by an innings when losing the cup to Canterbury Country in Napier last November.

Of the 12 he was able to select, nine were in that team and van Dyk says he’s sure “a few” of them will want to “put it to rest”.

He’s been able to keep the team intact despite being sandwiched between two Central Districts Plunket Shield matches, on Monday to Thursday this week against Otago in Dunedin and against Canterbury in Napier, starting on Wednesday.

There was also the distraction of the Robbie Williams concerts in Napier on Saturday, but cricket has won the day and van Dyk says: “I think two or three had tickets, but they’ve managed to sell them or give them away.”

Hawke’s Bay started with a 10-wicket win over Horowhenua-Kāpiti in the first game in defence of Central Districts minor association trophy the Furlong Cup in Levin on October 28 to November 2, part of a busy week for several of the team.

On return to Hawke’s Bay, eight played a three-day match for Central Districts in Napier against Wellington A, winning by seven wickets in a dramatic last-day turnaround.

Hawke’s Bay pace man Liam Dudding took 5-59 in Wellington’s first innings and 2-18 in the second, and saw Hawke’s Bay teammates Will Clark (74 not out) and Bayley Wiggins see out the result after rising star Taylor Bettelheim, from Tauranga but now living in Havelock North, scored a match-rescuing 169. Bettelheim is on loan to Wairarapa in representative cricket.

The Hawke’s Bay team for the Hawke Cup challenge, in likely batting order and with the number of appearances for Hawke’s Bay in brackets, is: Jono Whitley (18), Baylee Foote (2), wicketkeeper Bayley Wiggins (40), William Clark (32), captain Angus Schaw (103), Dominic Thompson (59), Brett Johnson (7), Todd Watson (59), Toby Findlay (11), Jayden Lennox (51), Liam Dudding (46) and Ben Stoyanoff (84).