Cricket: Taranaki inches from glory in the Chapple Cup

Ian Snook

Photo by: CD Cricket/17th Stag.

One ball to go. Three runs required for a tie. Another boundary would secure an amazing victory.

Freakish Ben Frewin smiled as Manawatu’s Thomas Kirk ran in to hurtle down the vital last ball of the game. Kirk had already gone for 16 from his previous five balls, including a massive six over the pavilion.

Would Frewin become the Considerably Freakish Frewin?

Kirk threw up a goodie with a well-directed yorker – Frewin hit it back past the bowler. There is a full-length dive in the outfield to save the boundary.

Frewin and batting partner Mattie Thomas are racing. They turned for a third run – it wasn’t to be – Thomas is run out and Manawatu are winners of the Chapple Cup by one run.

This was an amazing final.

Fresh off the thumping of reigning champions Wairarapa, Manawatu won the toss and batted. They had the advantage of having played on the same pitch the day before and CD Stags T20 rep Mason Hughes took full advantage of that knowledge.

In the blink of an eye, he raced to 82 off only 38 balls and Manawatu were a very healthy 114/2 at the halfway point of 10 overs. 200 plus was looking a real possibility.

Up steps young Asher Ryan having his first taste of provincial cricket. Hughes – caught Thomas bowled Ryan. The old and the new in combination.

From that point Taranaki tightened the screws through disciplined bowling and exceptional fielding. Spinners, the magical man Liam Carr, and match centurion Mattie Thomas, both left armers with good bowling ‘heads’, combined for five wickets.

Manawatu completed their 20 overs at 8/177, a healthy score, but not one to be frightened of.

Taranaki’s start was shaky. Inside four overs both openers had treaded their way back to where they had come from. It was time to stand up.

And that’s what they did. Bailey Wisnewski hit 42 from 30 balls, Rupert Young showed his class yet again with 52 from 34, and Little Clive Lloyd (Liam Muggeridge) was run out on 34 scored in only 17 balls.

Taranaki were 4/144, requiring 34 more runs from 24 balls.

It’s a tough game T20. Every ball is a match within a ball. Taranaki lose 4 wickets for 9 runs. The pressure is immense. The likelihood of a victory is draining away.

Up step Freakish and General Thomas. They mount a counterattack. The boys are on their feet in the pavilion. Will it be one that will be forever spoken about?

It wasn’t to be. The glory of the game was the winner, and of course Manawatu. No one can deny them their moment. One run is enough in any game.

Taranaki had entered the final following a hugely impressive victory against the perennial champions Hawkes Bay, a side full of first-class players, and match winners with bat and ball.

CD Stags Tyler Annand and Jayden Lennox made early inroads as Taranaki were put into bat. At one stage Taranaki were sitting at 5/80 before the stylish and gutsy Jacob Leuthard-Richards, along with big hitting Rob Northcott, put on 70 and advanced the total to 6/158 in the 20 overs.

Leuthard-Richards’ was a mature knock, scoring 50 in 35 balls, whilst Northcott knocked the ball around, to end the innings on 32 not out from 18 balls.

The big question was whether 158 was enough.

What evolved was the performance of the tournament.

In three overs, that’s 18 balls, gritty skipper Jordan Gard took 5 wickets for 10 runs.

There were plenty of good batsmen back in the shed – Angus Schaw, Bayley Wiggins, Todd Watson, Toby Findlay and Taylor Bettelheim all found the going too tough.

With only William Clark posting 43, Hawkes Bay were dismissed for 129. 158 was sufficient on this occasion.

This was a massive performance after being sent in on a challenging wicket, with Leuthard-Richards and Northcott counter punching, displaying real courage and belief, and their partnership completely shifting the game.

In the field there was plenty of energy, and with the ball there was plenty of intent. This was a ‘top’ team performance against the strongest line-up at the cup.

The rain was the main performer on day 1 with Taranaki eking out an important win against Nelson in a 9 over match, to kick things off. This was crucial.

Taranaki battled on a difficult wicket to 7/77, with the elegant lefty Robson Chapman compiling 27 in only 13 balls. This display was vital in the final analysis.

Then, with all bowlers contributing, Nelson spluttered their way to 6/63.

The afternoon match against the high-flying Whanganui was rained out with Whanganui on 3/67 from 11 overs, to end a day that had more rain and wind than cricket.

Once again Taranaki proved that they are part of the ‘Big 3’ in Central Districts cricket. Two more runs in the final and ……. Cricket is tough. That’s why we love it.

Third place finish for Taranaki women

The Bartercard Taranaki women enjoyed a good weekend out at the Central Districts Shrimpton Trophy T20 tournament in Levin.

The side performed well to win three of their five games and claim third place for the weekend.

They were just a whisker away from a spot in the decider too – with Te Tauihu (a combined Nelson and Marlborough team) proving just a little too good and chasing down a strong Taranaki total on the penultimate ball of the semifinal match, for a two-wicket win.

The trophy was eventually claimed by Manawatu, who Taranaki had beaten on day one, the win coming by DLS after rain stopped Manawatu at 82/4 in the 15th over, chasing down Taranaki’s 132/6.

Day two saw better weather and Taranaki kicked off the day against Hawkes Bay, sending their opponent into bat and restricting them to 113/8, with Caitlin Marshall bowling well to take 3/28. Taranaki did lose seven wickets but hunted the total down in the 19th over, with Grace Foreman top scoring with 23 not out, and the chase also featured young debutant Ella Wanahi hitting an important 14 runs.

The afternoon game against Te Tauihu saw Taranaki sent into bat and post 108/8 with Sophie Campbell making 45. It wasn’t enough and the southerners tracked it down with relative ease, their seven-wicket win coming with just over three overs to spare.

The results meant a rematch loomed in Sunday morning’s semifinals, with Taranaki qualifying second and Te Tauihu third.

Winning the toss and opting to bat, Taranaki opener and captain Jessie Hollard got things off to a good start, hitting 67 for her second half century of the weekend and Taranaki worked their way through to 143.

Te Tauihu were on top of the run race throughout the chase, but with wickets also falling frequently, they came into the final over needing seven runs with three wickets in hand, but were able to ice the game, hitting the winning run with a ball to spare.

Facing Hawkes Bay in the third and fourth playoff, player coach Kerry Tomlinson found good form and an unbeaten 84 was the platform for a good tally of 156.

Spin bowler Cara Hollard stepped up in the second innings, her spell of 3/12 was key as Hawkes Bay only managed to work their way through to 119 to give Taranaki a winning finish to the weekend.

The wins picked up were Taranaki’s first of the season and good reward for a young side that has developed nicely under Tomlinson’s guidance.

Tomlinson said the weekend had been extremely positive with a lot of good cricket played. In particular the pressure of the semi-final was a good challenge and the fact the side could bounce back from that disappointment to win their last game was a good sign.

Particularly pleasing were the performances of captain Jessie Hollard who hit 173 runs over the weekend, and the introduction of the youngster Wanahi and Alexi O’Byrne, who both handled the step up well. Other players to have good moments were Caitlin Marshall, Sophie Campbell, and Cara Hollard, while Madison Brown, a loan player from Wairarapa after their side pulled out, was excellent with the ball.

The side’s Copelin Cup 40-over campaign resumes in the New Year, hosting Wairarapa at Pukekura Park on January 25, before away trips to Manawatu and Masterton.