Whanganui wrap up Furlong Cup campaign with tough loss to defending champions Hawke’s Bay

Whanganui's Greg Smith scored 88 on his return to cricket. File photo / NZME

A mid-Saturday afternoon fight back by Riverview Motel Whanganui was absorbed by the Furlong Cup’s powerhouse side who just clicked up another gear on their way to an innings victory at the weekend.

Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay again showed why they are the reigning Furlong and Hawke Cup holders as despite making some re-arrangements to their line-up due to call-ups to the Central Districts Stags, they still bowled Whanganui out for less than 200 runs twice to bookend their 377-9 declared.

Unfortunately losing the toss and being put into bat when the wicket was doing a little bit on Saturday morning, a Whanganui line-up missing Ben Smith and Mark Fraser was bowled out for 123.

Only returning skipper Greg Smith (48), despite having played no cricket for over a month as he recovered from injury, was able to play himself in and make some strokes. The likes of Carter Hobbs and Chris Sharrock got starts but could not consolidate.

Former Stags quick Liam Dudding (6-20) was the chief destroyer in a devastating 12 overs, with the Hawke’s Bay batsmen heading out after less than 40 overs fielding.

By around 3.30pm they had claimed first innings points for the loss of only three wickets, but Whanganui then dug in and put on some pressure of their own.

They left the visitors nine wickets down and only a heartening 114 runs ahead, raising the prospect the home side could bat again themselves before the end of the day.

Facing his town-mates, departing Whanganui Collegiate old boy Oscar Mabin (3-36) and fellow pacemen the O’Leary brothers – Connor and Shaun – toiled away in the heat. Spinner Fred McVerry (3-84) was a little off with his line, but he caught up with the batsmen when they tried to go at him.

However, it was to be a late afternoon of frustration as remaining specialist batsman Dominic Thompson (112 not out) found that No11 Liam McCarthy (60 not out) was a willing supporter – as the pair of them put on a morale-sapping 140-run partnership to bat out the day and punish the fed-up bowlers along the way.

Thompson finished with two sixes and 11 boundaries, while McCarthy, a NZ Under-22 Indoor World Cup cricketer, was plainly not a true No11, as he struck nine boundaries while scoring at nearly a run-a-ball.

Whanganui coach Warren Marr would later admit this took a bit of fight out of the side, with the visitors declaring overnight and leaving the home side needing 254 just to make them bat again.

It was a stronger second innings showing, especially with a wag in the tail of their own, but Whanganui ultimately folded by mid-afternoon on Sunday for 177.

After a cheap dismissal on Saturday, Daniel Burgess (31) showed grit at the top of the order, before being trapped in front by Bradley Schmulian (4-20), who in partnership with Brett Johnson (4-63) ripped through the middle order.

From 125-9, the defiant final pair of James Woodford (40 not out) and Connor O’Leary put on a 52-run partnership, which would look impressive on any other weekend except for what had happened the day before.

But again, Marr was left to state the obvious – the team continues to develop, but against a side full of players who have played professionally, the gulf remains wide.

“We weren’t good enough, just some rash shots. When we lose wickets, we lose them ‘bang, bang’ bang’.

“They put us under pressure, because they are a good side.

“Their [final wicket] partnership really hurt us – it was hard to get over it.”

Whanganui will now prepare for white ball cricket with the upcoming Chapple Cup tournament in Palmerston North, February 16-18.