New Wairarapa girls cricket team in final

The Wairarapa team which were runners-up at the regional tournament. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

WAIRARAPA exceeded all expectations at the regional secondary schoolgirls cricket tournament in Whanganui by reaching the final after several outstanding performances.

The newly-created team faced far more experienced teams including traditional powerhouses Taranaki, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay. Opposition teams boasted two first class Central Districts Hinds and seven representative players from the recent New Zealand under-21 competition.

Wairarapa coach Simon Roseingrave was hopeful of some competitive showings, but was more concerned about development and learning for his team. However, a round robin finish of second, put the side into the tournament final where they were beaten by the powerful Hawke's Bay combination.

In the first of six 30-over matches over four days Wairarapa faced hosts Whanganui, whose ranks boasted Central Districts Hind Jess Watkin.

While Wairarapa knew that dismissing Watkins early was paramount, when Olivia Roseingrave had her caught by Brittney McGruddy for a golden duck even Watkin, who ended the tournament as top run-scorer, struggled to comprehend what had happened.

Whanganui crumbled to 43 all out, with Georgia Atkinson 3 for 5, Annabel McKenzie 3 for 6 and Olivia Roseingrave 2 for 13 being the chief destroyers.

Even Watkin's opening bowling didn't rattle Wairarapa as opening batters Gemma Sims and Kayarna Jones-Dennes were unbeaten and led the team to an outstanding 10-wicket win.

Wairarapa then proved that win wasn't a one-off, winning their second match against Manawatu. The latter dominated the early exchanges reaching 92/2 before Annissa Greenlees turned things around with a fine bowling spell, taking 4 for 26 off six overs.

Chasing a total of 165, an unbroken partnership of 71 between Greenlees (62) and Georgia Atkinson (33) saw Wairarapa through to a seven-wicket win.

Match three against Christchurch club St Albans was an acid test, with fatigue and niggly injuries setting in. Not daunted by the opposition's three national under-21 tournament players, Olivia Roseingrave again led the way as Wairarapa bowled first, taking a superb 5 for 33, ably supported by Atkinson 2 for 13 and Kayarna Jones-Dennes 2 for 21 to see St Albans all out for 152. In the run chase a solid 38 from Billie Rawhiti, and nerves of steel from Caitlin Elliott who hit a four off the third last ball in her 26 not out saw Wairarapa home.

With injuries taking their toll at the end of day two, Roseingrave called up CD under-15 rep Kate Sims who was able to arrive in time for game five but not before the team's first loss against Taranaki. Despite again claiming the early wicket of a CD under-21 player, Monique Rees, Taranaki put on a formidable 172 for 3 before Wairarapa were all out for 84.

In the final round robin match against unbeaten Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa were unable to dismiss CD Hind Rosemary Mair as she posted 112 of the team's 188 for 3 total. Wairarapa had one eye on chasing the win, and another on other match results. When St Albans defeated Taranaki, Wairarapa's total of 149-9 was close enough to Hawke's Bay to progress to the final thanks to contributions from Greenlees (27) and Rawhiti (22 not out).

In the final, a rematch of game five, judicious thinking by management, including Wairarapa's CD Hind Melissa Hansen and captain Annabel McKenzie, saw a plan hatched to dismiss Mair early. Olivia Roseingrave duly delivered, unnerving the Hawke's Bay camp after the loss of their talisman for only 10 runs.

Wairarapa turned up the pressure in a superb bowling effort led by Kate Sims, who took 4 for 24, Olivia Roseingrave 2 for 21 and Georgia Atkinson 2 for 25 to restrict the total to 139-9. At the half-way stage Wairarapa were in the game, but Mair came back to haunt them with a devastating spell of fast swing bowling, claiming 7 for 11 as Wairarapa crumbled for just 30 runs.

Simon Roseingrave said despite the finish, the team's outstanding debut tournament was exciting for the future.

Wairarapa restricted Hawke's Bay to their two lowest totals, and boasted four of the tournament's top 12 wicket-takers, with Olivia Roseingrave's 10 wickets putting her at No 4.

Annissa Greenlees finished at No 6 on the MVP list, the highest non-Hind or under-21 representative. CD under-15 rep Gemma Sims kept outstandingly for all six matches, finishing with the second most dismissals of any player.

Meanwhile the Wairarapa senior men's team took a slender first innings lead into the second day of their Hawke Cup qualifying match with Horowhenua-Kapiti in Levin. Deon van Deventer claimed four wickets and Daniel Ingham three as Horowhenua-Kapiti were dismissed for 165 and Wairarapa replied with 174.