Wanganui put to the sword

SLIM PICKINGS: Chris Sharrock was one of only two batsmen to reach the 30's for Wanganui across both their innings at the weekend. PHOTO/FILE

ACTIVE Physio Wanganui's two batting innings ended just after and then just before the lunch breaks while in between Manawatu put on a batsmen's exhibition to set up an embarrassing innings and 79 loss at Fitzherbert Park at the weekend.

Wanganui were on their way home early on Sunday afternoon, having been bowled out for 91 in the search for the 170 runs to make Manawatu bat again after they amassed 331-4 in just 56 overs with Mitch Renwick (119) and captain Dave Meiring (143) running riot with a 215 run partnership at better than a run a ball.

There was one Wanganui player to stand up in former captain Henry Collier, the trouble was he was in Manawatu colours.

Spin bowler Collier would take three wickets while being a little expensive in Wanganui's first innings of 161, which was over just after the Saturday lunch break.

Seamers Caleb Gaylard and Navin Patel did the other damage with 4-18 and 3-30 respectively, as the Wanganui innings never got into third gear, losing wickets steadily throughout after Matt Boswell (30) was the only top order batsman to get a start, while wicketkeeper Chris Sharrock top scored down the order with 36.

While on paper Wanganui had batting right down to No11 and the track was flattening out, it was the age-old story of the concentration to play this level not being there after the Christmas break.

Renwick and Meiring had no such trepidations, and even though Collier went early to a caught behind off Nick Harding, who also got his partner Dylan Cleaver, the pair settled rapidly into their work and tore into a bowling attack which did not have the services of Ryan Slight and Sam Beard.

Harding's two wickets were the only bright point as he and fellow bowlers Ross Kinnerley, Sam O'Leary, Dom Rayner and debuting Hawke Cup spin bowler Bryant Galpin all were expensive.

Declaring overnight, Manawatu had all day to get Wanganui out and didn't need half of it, as Gaylard grabbed another three wickets, medium pacer Tim Richards also got three-for, and Collier delighted in cleaning up the tail.

There were four ducks in Wanganui's innings, with opener Dominic Lock having a disappointing match, as did Todd Innes, while the recalled John McIlraith had some fight, although top scoring with 28 shows the team's woes.

The team will need another mental turnaround as experienced at the end of last year when an embarrassing second day capitulation to Taranaki was followed up 13 days later by a strong batting and bowling effort for first innings points against Horowhenua-Kapiti.

Wanganui will face fellow minnow Wairarapa at their home ground at Rathkeale College on January 30, before the hardest match of the year against Hawkes Bay back at Victoria Park.

Hawkes Bay signalled ominous signs after they disposed of Taranaki by eight wickets in a low scoring game at Nelson Park at the weekend.