CURTIS HEAPHY
STAGS, HINDS RUE NEAR MISSES
Three days in windy, weather-battered Wellington proved less than ideal for both the Central Stags in The Ford Trophy and the Central Hinds in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield.
Blowing a gale on Friday at the Basin, the Stags put on their tough pants in the horrid conditions and got the Wellington Firebirds in a heap at 67/6, after the Firebirds had elected to bat.
But two curve balls ruined the chances of a bonus point win for the team.
First, Wellington allrounder Logan van Beek strode in and bashed his maiden List A century - which happened to be the world's second highest score by any number eight batter: 136 off 99 balls as he swung hard and used the wind to his advantage at the death with a barrage of sixes.
He drove a record Firebirds seventh-wicket stand, nevertheless that Stags were soon ahead of the asking rate as CURTIS HEAPHY and JACK BOYLE put on an unbroken 90*-run stand for the first wicket.
PHOTOSPORT
But that was right when the heaviest cloudburst of the bitter day broke over the ground, and frustratingly for the Stags it was at the 19.3 over mark - when just three more balls had been required to make it an official game.
The teams never got back on, taking two points each from the 'No Result' washout which keeps the Stags in third spot on The Ford Trophy ladder, but with two points having gone begging.
The unchanged squad now heads to Dunedin to play the Otago Volts this Waitangi Day Tuesday, with a free livestream and livescoring here at www.cdcricket.co.nz from 10.30am.
The weather improved only slightly for the Central Hinds who played the Wellington Blaze on the same ground in the seventh and eight rounds of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield over the next two days.
The Hinds needed to win both matches to reignite their one-day campaign after bad weather had also blighted the earlier part of their season, in between some good wins in Invercargill and Palmerston North.
Saturday's match wasn't yet in the must-win zone for the Hinds, but it was a very special one for both teams with the Viv Stephens Memorial Trophy on the line.
Captains Natalie Dodd and Leigh Kasperek • PHOTOSPORT
The Hinds and Blaze had shared that silverware in its inaugural season two years ago, after a total weekend washout at the Basin. Then the Hinds won it last year at Palmerston North.
Now - with a few echoes of the Stags' scenario, the Hinds were in with a chance of retaining it after a career best four-fa for OCEAN BARTLETT and then a good chase where they found themselves needing 32 from the last 20 balls: game on.
But right at that moment the heavens opened again, and that was that. Blaze won the game with a 13-run DLS win.
Kate Gaging and Ocean Bartlett • PHOTOSPORT
That meant the following day's eighth round in the 10-round regular season did become a must-win. Unfortunately for the Hinds, the Blaze kept up their winning ways, this time with a 24-run victory after the Hinds had to end their chase nine down, with an injured ROSEMARY MAIR unable to bat.
In the first innings, Mair had pulled a quadriceps after just three overs and was a big loss from the attack, with Blaze opener Jess McFayen going on to carry her bat for an unbeaten century in their total of 217/6.
The Hinds got off to a strong start in the chase, with captain NATALIE DODD reaching 76 and fellow opener GEORGIA ATKINSON 44 in a 121-run opening stand.
Hannah Rowe • PHOTOSPORT
EMMA McLEOD followed up at first drop with 37 and HANNAH ROWE smote a career-best 64 at better than run-a-ball.
But Blaze's strong spin attack fought back, Nicole Baird and Xara Jetly ripping out a cluster of middle order wickets to drag themselves back into the hunt.
Melie Kerr then finished it off in the 49th over, and the Hinds' Hallyburton quest was officially over.
The team will head home to New Plymouth in a fortnight's time to play their last two matches of the season against Northern Districts at Pukekura Park on 17 and 18 February, both games free admission after a big summer for the team.
Meanwhile Central Districts A Women will be in action this weekend (10 and 11 February 2024) against Northern Districts A at St Paul's Collegiate in Hamilton, with the squad to be announced.
SQUAD | ROUND 7 of 10 v Otago Volts
University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
10.30am Waitangi Day, 6 February 2024
Livescoring and free livestream: www.cdcricket.co.nz
DANE Cleaver — captain, wicketkeeper, Manawatū
JACK Boyle — Hawke’s Bay
WILL Clark — Hawke’s Bay
JOSH Clarkson — Nelson
CURTIS Heaphy — Manawatū
JAYDEN Lennox — Hawke’s Bay
AJAZ Patel — Hawke’s Bay
BRAD Schmulian — Hawke’s Bay
BEVAN Small — Manawatū
BLAIR Tickner — Hawke’s Bay
RAY Toole — Manawatū
BAYLEY Wiggins — Hawke’s Bay
Coach: GLENN Pocknall
Assistant Coach: ALDIN Smith
Contracted players unavailable for selection
DOUG Bracewell — unavailable
TOM Bruce — unavailable
JOEY Field — injury
BRETT Randell — returning from injury
WILL Young — BLACKCAPS Test squad
All Stags Ford Trophy matches are
free admission + livescored
and livestreamed for free at
www.cdcricket.co.nz from 10.30am.
Article added: Monday 5 February 2024
