GOOD KNOCK: Liam Burling top scored with 89 in Wairarapa's second innings.PHOTO/FILE
GOOD KNOCK: Liam Burling top scored with 89 in Wairarapa's second innings.PHOTO/FILE
A lack of runs from their top order batsmen again proved costly for Wairarapa when they were on the end of a seven-wicket beating by Horowhenua-Kapiti in their Hawke Cup qualifying round senior men's cricket match played at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval, Masterton, on Saturday and Sunday.
It was thesecond Hawke Cup defeat this season for Wairarapa in as many matches and, in both games, they have failed to get any early momentum into their batting efforts.
Against Taranaki a fortnight ago, they were six wickets down for just 55 in the first innings and 65 in the second and there was no improvement against Horowhenua-Kapiti with the first six wickets falling for 43 and 62.
This weekend's match did, however, produce greater resistance from the tail-enders, at least in the second innings where a 123-run partnership for the eighth wicket between Liam Burling and Gordon Reisima guaranteed Horowhenua-Kapiti would have a useful tally to make in their second "dig" if they were to secure the outright win.
With the visitors electing to give all but three of their players a bowl - and some of them dishing up some juicy half volleys - Burling and Reisima profited; Burling making up for his first innings "duck" by cracking 10 fours in his 89, which came from 130 balls, and Reisima being even more aggressive.
His 66 came from 68 balls and included seven fours and four sixes.
In the end, the Wairarapa second innings came to an end at 252, leaving Horowhenua-Kapiti 154 runs to get for the maximum points and they survived the early scare of losing the in-form Matthew Good with just one run on the board to win by seven wickets. Stefan Hook-Sporry, who had been so impressive when capturing 6-51 in Horowhenua-Kapiti's first innings, was again the pick of the Wairarapa bowlers although not having the same success. He finished with 1-25 from 10 overs.
