Senior team struggling for survival

Wanganui senior cricket team were fighting to avoid an embarrassing Hawke Cup follow-on in Paraparaumu yesterday afternoon.

Missing their key strike bowler and batsman against a resurgent home side turned Saturday into a nightmare for Wanganui as they were kept in the field for 117 straight overs.

On a good batting wicket, Horowhenua Kapiti steamrolled onwards, their innings finally closing at 501 all out, 10 overs into yesterday's morning session.

In reply, a tired Wanganui folded at 241-8 with 40 overs remaining in the day's play yesterday clawing to survive as the follow-on mark was 400.

Wanganui manager Andrew Lock had little in the way of positives to offer.

"It was definitely a good batting pitch.

"We made a few dropped catches.

"A very good day for Horowhenua. We did miss some attack bowlers but they batted very well."

Tellingly, Wanganui's best effort with the ball came from regular wicketkeeper/batsman Ben Smith, who ended up with 4-56 from sending down 26 overs himself.

Dominic Rayner (2-56 from 14 overs), Trent Hemi (2-58 from 14) Dominic Lock (1-64 from 24) and Max Carroll (1-61 from 12) just did not have the firepower to give the home side enough trouble.

It was a big turn around for the Horowhenua/Kapiti team which was skittled twice for less than 200 against Wairarapa a fortnight ago.

Matt Fowler led the way with 179, followed by Ewan Thompson with 88, with half centuries coming from Andrew Lamb (55) and Matt Bacon (54).

"They got to about 117 overs yesterday so we're stuffed alright," said Lock as he glumly manned the scorebook at Kena Kena Park.

Only youngster Brett Cameron with 56 made any in-roads in Wanganui's lightweight reply, with the next best scores being in the 30's.

The team were without Nick Blundell and Henry Collier, away in Canterbury with the New Zealand training squad for the Under 19 World Cup.