Cricket: Rain dictates the mood

Ian Snook

When it rains before a cricket match is due to start it does more than make the grass wet. It creates an extra layer of pressure for all the participants.

The grounds men are under pressure to get the outfield ready and to take the covers off. Will it rain again or won’t it.

The umpires are under pressure dealing with two teams and the ground staff. They have the ultimate say – is it dangerous to bowl and field on? Is the drizzle too heavy for a fair contest? When should we start? How long do we need before the conditions are acceptable?

The challenging team wants to start as soon as possible. The defending team wants to wait until the conditions are almost perfect.

There can be mixed messages. Both groups are doing their best to have a start time that gives them the best opportunity.

That is the way in cricket. It is as old as the game itself.

And so it was on day one of defence five against Bay of Plenty, Whitaker Civil Engineering Taranaki, lost the toss, and Bay of Plenty gleefully bowled. It was a 4pm start and the challengers couldn’t get out there soon enough.

There was no way that Taranaki knew what they were heading into. This was a new wicket from the one which had produced 900 runs against Hawkes Bay a fortnight back.

The pitch was different. The weather was different. Umpires Vinit Mahna and Regan Combe signalled the start as drizzle began to fall. There was no turning back, as neither should there have been.

Hopefully for Taranaki there would be more rain and the ball would be difficult to bowl with.

There are so many questions to answer which the rain throws at you. The team that answers them the best could well be the big winner.

There were 35 absorbing overs bowled. Josh Borrell and Bailey Wisnewski looked assured at the top of the Taranaki innings. For Borrell another big innings must have been in his sights as he middled the ball and hit four boundaries.

Of course, cricket isn’t like that. Borrell chases a wide one and Taranaki are 1-32. Shortly after Wisnewski lifts his bat high to let the ball through and it slides off his glove. 2-42.

Liam Muggeridge and Rupert Young then set about building a partnership. There is nothing flashy, but it is steady, and the score continues to tick over.

Bay of Plenty introduce the wily old campaigner Peter Drysdale into the attack bowling his offies. He is proving difficult to face and soon produces a cracker which holds a bit and Muggeridge gloves it to slip. 3-68.

It is now important for Taranaki to get through to stumps without further loss. Just like the others, Jacob Leuthard-Richards looks composed and in little trouble, and he and Young tick the score through to 98 with one over to go, to be bowled by Drysdale.

Two balls in, and with Leuthard-Richards defending his wicket with every ounce of concentration at his disposal, Drysdale whips in a straight one and Popli takes his second high quality catch at slip.

Taranaki walk off at 4-98.

Bay of Plenty will be very happy. Taranaki will be thinking this is nothing like the last track they played on. We are probably all square – depending on how we bat tomorrow and bowl after that.

It’s a funny old game cricket. The team who starts best in the morning and seizes the initiative will then be the favourites.

But, there are two full days to go. That’s about 1150 balls. A lot can happen in that many.