Cricketers face big test

FLYING START: Wairarapa's Harry Clinton-Baker sweeps under the watchful eye of Wellington City 'keeper Ton Blundell in the Tararua Shield match at Greytown last week.PHOTO/CHRIS KILFORD

Wairarapa will need to produce something special if they are to beat Manawatu in their Tararua Shield senior men's cricket representative match at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, on Sunday.

Their upset 54-run win over Wellington City at Greytown last weekend got Wairarapa off to a flying start in this limited-overs competition but they will almost certainly need to lift their effort several notches if they are to claim the scalp of Manawatu as well.

Manawatu have in-depth quality in both their batting and bowling departments and with former Black Cap Michael Mason as their player-coach they will lack nothing in endeavour. The experienced pace bowler is not the sort to tolerate anything less than total commitment.

It wasn't all one-way traffic, however, when Manawatu started their latest Tararua Shield campaign with a match against Hutt Valley at home last weekend.

Hutt Valley made a respectable 254-8 in their 50 overs and put themselves in the box seat when they had Manawatu at 70-4. But that changed dramatically when Dane Cleaver came to the wicket at six in the order. It took him just 63 balls to bring up his century and when he was out for 105 he had struck seven 6s and eight 4s.

Cleaver, who already has a ton against Wairarapa to his name, has been troubled over the past year or so by a back injury which was bad enough for him to give up his usual wicketkeeping role and while his back is still not 100 per cent it clearly isn't hampering his batting.

Wairarapa's win over Wellington City had to be a confidence booster even if Wellington City did not provide the level of opposition expected of them. At 84-5 Wairarapa were precariously placed when batting first but the middle order of Paul Lyttle (59), Seth Rance (39) and Liam Burling (30) got them through to a competitive 224.

Lyttle and Rance are no strangers to this level of play but Rathkeale College pupil Burling was having his first game for Wairarapa in senior ranks and the province's under-17 skipper impressed, both with his stroke play and his cool temperament.

It was no surprise then to see him retained for this Sunday's match where he will confront a Manawatu attack likely to be spearheaded by such proven campaigners as Mason, Phil Mecredy and Arana Noema-Barnett. There will, however, be changes at the top of the Wairarapa batting order for the Manawatu game. Joining Jamie Holmes in the opening role will be Harry Clinton-Baker with George Deans likely to be at three, skipper Henry Cameron at four, Sam Curtis at five and then a mix of Lyttle, wicketkeeper Robbie Speers, Rance and Burling.

Deans and Curtis missed the Wellington City fixture but their form beforehand warrants their return.

Clinton-Baker's elevation to the opening spot is interesting. The talented youngster is one of those players who generally takes time to build an innings and he could be the perfect foil to Holmes, who likes to go for his shots right from the outset.

The Wairarapa bowlers did a fine job to restrict Wellington City to 170 last weekend. They conceded just eight wides to Wellington City's 19 and 20 fewer extras overall.

Rance, Stefan Hook-Sporry, Sean Jarvis and Calvin Ball will again provide the pace attack with Holmes, Cameron and Curtis capable of providing spin if variety is required.

There seems little doubt the Manawatu batting line-up will take the battle to the Wairarapa bowlers in a much more direct manner than Wellington City and how they respond to that challenge is sure to have a big say in the end result.

The Tararua Shield will have no impact player-wise on matches in the Umpires Cup limited-overs competition this weekend as they are scheduled for tomorrow. Rathkeale College and Lansdowne will do battle at Rathkeale, Wairarapa College will take on Copper Kettle Kuranui Old Boys at Wairarapa College and Turkey Red Greytown will confront Red Star at Greytown.