After a marathon first innings battle from both teams, Nelson is taking the Hawke Cup home after winning the first Challenge Match of 2020/21 at Rangiora's Mainpower Oval on the first innings this afternoon.

Challenger Nelson and holder Canterbury Country fought tooth and nail after Nelson had posted 365 in its first innings, on the back of centuries from opening batsman Nic Clark (172, carrying his bat through the entire first day's play on Friday) and number six Joey O'Connor (120), the pair putting on a mammoth 271 for the fifth wicket.

At 162/8 in reply, Canterbury Country was not looking likely to hold onto the precious silverware that they had won in last summer's penultimate Challenge and defended against Otago Country, but a courageous 117-run partnership between number nine Zak Foulkes and number 10 and Canterbury first-class rep Fraser Sheat - better known for his quick bowling - saw the hosts get remarkably close to hauling in the key first innings target.

CD A rep and allrounder Thomas Zohrab was the hero of the day for the Nelson Griffins as he finally had Sheat caught on 76, then he claimed the vital last wicket of Foulkes (a fighting 92 off 255 balls) when Canterbury Country were just 40 runs behind Nelson's first innings total.

The Nelson Griffins will now host the Zone 4 Challenge against North Otago in a fortnight's time, from February 12 to 14 in Nelson.

Nelson last held the Hawke Cup in 2019, breaking a 22 year-drought for the once formidable province after they successfully challenged Southland for the historic provincial silverware.

Challenge Match

Zone 3

[Holder] Canterbury Country

lost to [Challenger] Nelson on the first innings

Mainpower Oval, Rangiora

29-21 January 2021

SCORES

Article added: Sunday 31 January 2021