Whanganui have secured first-innings points in a third straight Furlong Cup game.
Jurgens Demolition Whanganui are the talk of Central Districts provincial association cricket after a historic first-innings win over Subway Manawatū at Feilding’s Kōwhai Park on Sunday.
Undefeated and well on top of the Furlong Cup table with two games remaining, although the other associations have later fixtures, it was Whanganui’s first win over their neighbours since January 2017, with only two players – Mark Fraser and Nick Harding – remaining from that side.
Appropriately, it was Fraser who took away Manawatū’s last hopes of a comeback win with an outstanding 99 in Whanganui’s second innings of 239-6, thoroughly deserving his seventh hundred until his catch dismissal meant the visitors finally accepted their shattered hosts’ request to end play.
Fraser and Hadleigh O’Leary (78) had the decisive 136-run partnership to guide Whanganui out of harm’s way at 89-4 after their bowlers – specifically the other O’Leary brothers, Connor O’Leary (4-50) and the returning Shaun O’Leary (2-23) – cleaned up Manawatū’s last three wickets in the morning for 162, still 24 runs behind on first innings.
Having been put in on a green bowling wicket on Saturday morning, Whanganui struggled mightily to get through to 186, thanks to a gritty 67 from another returning player in Carter Hobbs, with the hosts coming to regret some missed catching opportunities behind the stumps.
About to have an afternoon to remember, regular No 11 Connor O’Leary then came out in the No 9 spot, with Whanganui missing a couple of frontline batters, and smashed a priceless 37 not out, including two sixes to get his side close to the 200 mark.
Manawatū’s Jett Donald-Charnley and Karan Parmar both picked up three wickets.
While the pitch stayed lively, initially, it didn’t matter as the confident hosts led by former Stags player Mason Hughes, 32, and fellow opener Tom O’Connor, 45, raised 61 runs and seemed to be setting their side up for a depressingly familiar first-innings lead.
But after Hobbs’ heroics, another recent recalled player in Harry Burroughs, 2-16, dismissed both men off outfield catches. The door was now ajar and the O’Learys kicked it in.
A fired-up Connor O’Leary, supported by Shaun O’Leary, spinner Hadleigh and allrounder Nick Harding all picked up wickets to reduce Manawatū to 144-7 at close of play and snatch the momentum – which Whanganui would hold on Sunday, despite a few jitters at the top of their second innings.
It is beyond any recent history book notes where Whanganui have taken first-innings points in three straight Furlong games and is a testament to the belief within their wider squad, after winning again without the likes of regulars Ben Smith, Oscar Mabin, Ross Kinnerley and Connor Rees.
There were key contributions across the board – Hobbs followed his 67 with crucial catches, Hadleigh O’Leary scored runs in both innings and took a wicket off the last ball of Saturday, and after his brother Harry’s great Saturday bowling, new opening batter Nick Burroughs made a stonewall 23 off 88 balls to blunt Manawatū’s pace attack until Fraser took over on Sunday.
“Obviously, absolutely delighted,” coach Warren Marr said.
“When [the pitch] flattened out, they were 60 without loss for the first wicket, but we just chipped away and chipped away and they lost seven wickets for 80 runs in the first afternoon and we were right back in the game.
“Credit to the bowlers, it was amazing, and this morning coming back, we had the upper hand.
“Stuttered a bit with the bat and old Whanganui might have fallen over and had our bellies rubbed, but we really fought hard.
“It’s nice when Manawatū want to come off early and shake your hand and you say, ‘nah, you guys are going back out’ – doesn’t happen often.
“It’s a game at a time; hopefully, it will be four straight against Wairarapa and that’s what we’re going to do.”
With Shaun O’Leary playing only as a non-batting bowler in his comeback from his left-hand injury, acting skipper Tom Dempster is compiling an unheard-of record as an undefeated Whanganui captain.
“Obviously, really rewarding, so many different performances in key moments across all the innings, to be fair,” he said.
“Probably had a few chips against us in that first innings, having a lighter batting line-up than what we’ve had in previous weeks and getting put in on a bit of a green one that was swinging away early doors.
“But the boys grinded away and a few key innings from Carter and later on, Connor, which really put us through a half-competitive total that we could bowl at.
“It’s a seriously good start to the season; everyone’s stepped up each week.”
Whanganui 1st innings: 186 (63.2 overs)
Manawatū 1st innings: 162 (55.4 overs)
Whanganui 2nd innings: 239-6 (68.4 overs)
Result: Match drawn, Whanganui win 1st-innings points