Cricket: Taranaki team ready to sprint out of the blocks
Monday, Oct 28 2024
Ian Snook
File photo by: Graeme Bowden
The Whittaker Civil Engineering men’s team burst into their first Furlong Cup game against the powerful Hawkes Bay side at Pukekura Park, starting on Saturday 02 November.
The Furlong Cup games, played amongst the Central Districts provinces, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Whanganui and Horowhenua-Kapiti, decide which province will win the right to challenge for the Hawke Cup – the Ranfurly Shield of minor association cricket in New Zealand.
The above associations make up Zone 2, with the winning team challenging holders Hawkes Bay in a three-day game beginning on 31 January 2025. If Hawkes Bay win the Furlong Cup, then the team placed second in this group will have earned the challenge.
Selector-coach Chris Coombe, a former Namibian international, who has settled into Taranaki for the past five seasons, has selected a strong squad, which has been practicing indoors for the last two months, interspersed with team building activities.
There is certainly an air of excitement and expectancy permeating through the group.
First-time skipper Sam Fastier, backed-up by vice-captain Jordan Gard, and two experienced campaigners in the leadership group, Dean Robinson and Ryan Watson, will be pulling the strings to coordinate a creative, proactive, and positive team.
There is plenty to suggest that this group can be successful.
Leading the charge will be Dean Robinson. He is one of only five Taranaki players in 129 years to have played 100 games (118), sitting in third place behind Brian Richards (141 caps over 20 seasons from 1974 to 1993) and Jamie Watkins (122 caps between 1994 and 2018)
Robinson is statistically the best batsman from the 707 capped Taranaki players since 1894, scoring 15 centuries and 5108 runs, the most by any player. As well, he is one of only a handful of batsmen to average over 40.
With the return of Rupert Young and Trent McGrath, back after successful stints with Hawkes Bay and North Canterbury (Young) and Manawatu, they will provide the added experience that will no doubt engender a feeling of confidence amongst the other team members.
Lefties Liam Muggeridge and Josh Borrell, along with Bailey Wisnewski, Mattie Thomas and Ryan Watson add to the century makers from above, with the squad
amassing 28 centuries in provincial cricket, suggesting that this is a lineup that can rattle up big scores.
Batsmen Fastier, Jacob Leuthard-Richards and Oli Burbidge have only clocked up 27 games in the Taranaki colours between them, and they will be eager to score big and contribute as they establish their careers. Burbidge, along with newcomer Ngoni Mupamba, and Young, will be vying for the wicket-keeper batsman position. All three have demonstrated their qualities at the crease and behind the wickets at club level, and this is going to be a tough decision for Coombe to make deciding on who will start against Hawkes Bay.
A key to any two-day game is being able to bowl the opposition out twice, or at the very least ensuring that there are first innings points and dismissing the opponents for less than your mates’ total.
Leading the attack, and back after two seasons, is the powerful speedster Watson. He has displayed a renewed energy, and has looked lethal in pre-season. With 57 games beside his name, and 170 wickets at a miserly average of only 15.85, he will be expecting big things of himself.
The wily left arm spinner Thomas should also be a key performer. With 81 games to his credit and 159 wickets in the bank, he has the most wickets by any Taranaki spinner in the 129 seasons to date.
As Thomas heads towards a century of games he will be looking to establish himself as one of the leading all-rounders that Taranaki has ever produced. This is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility.
Jordy Gard is currently captaining the Central Districts ‘A’ side and is a leader and all-rounder, growing into his game.
His seam bowling will be an important component of Taranaki’s success. Gard’s work ethic and enthusiasm suggests that there will be plenty of success as he grows with the game.
Another exciting prospect is left-arm spinner Liam Carr. Already a Central Districts age grade and ‘A’ team player, Carr has a wise old head on young shoulders. With only nine games against his stats at the moment there is plenty to look forward to.
John Beale, another former NPBHS player, and former Whanganui rep, has been selected to fulfill a seamer’s role, and has been displaying plenty of accuracy and cunning at the trainings.
With Shay Smith, initially named but now unavailable, and just recently the highly talented Ben Frewin injuring his side, Chris Logan, another young speedster, has been added to the squad. Just home from a successful league season in England, his progress will be watched with interest.
Taene Nelly, an elegant left-handed batsman still at NPBHS, and Asher Ryan, a medium fast seamer from FDMC, have both previously played age group for Central Districts, as has Josh Gard, an opening batsman in his first year out of NPBHS.
These youngsters possess sufficient quality to suggest that Taranaki will be in good hands, not only now, but in the future.
SQUAD Sam Fastier © NPMU Jordan Gard (VC) NPOB Dean Robinson NPBHS Ryan Watson NPMU Mattie Thomas NPOB Asher Ryan FDMC Bailey Wisnewski Inglewood Ben Frewin NPOB Jacob Leuthard-Richards NPMU John Beale Stratford Josh Borrell NPOB Joshua Gard NPOB Liam Carr NPOB Liam Muggeridge Stratford Ngoni Mupamba Hawera Rupert Young NPOB Taene Nelly NPBHS Trent McGrath Hawera Oli Burbidge NPOB Chris Logan Inglewood.
PROVINCIAL STATS FOR TARANAKI (Does not include games for other provinces)
Dean Robinson: 118 caps. 5108 runs. 15 centuries. Highest score: 202no. Batting average: 40.54 Mattie Thomas: 81 caps. 1 century. 159 wickets @ 17.43. Best bowling: 7-59 Liam Muggeridge: 69 caps. 1977 runs. 2 100’s. HS: 106. 20 wickets @ 20.55. Best 5-26. Ryan Watson: 57 caps. 830 runs. 1 x 100. HS: 123no. 170 wickets @ 15.85. Best 7-17 Jordan Gard: 30 caps. HS: 33no. 34 wickets @ 26.92. Best 5-51. Josh Borrell: 23 caps. 751 runs. 2x 100’s. HS: 133. Av: 33.47 Sam Fastier: 17 caps. 561 runs. HS: 74. Av: 28.05 Bailey Wisnewski: 16 caps. 569 runs. 1 x 100. HS: 100no. Av: 33.47 Liam Carr: 9 caps. 13 wickets @ 21.77. Best 3-15 Oli Burbidge: 6 caps. 134 runs. HS: 43. Av: 26.80 Trent McGrath: 6 caps for Taranaki. 50 caps for Manawatu with 4 x100’s Jacob Leuthard-Richards: 4 caps. Rupert Young: 1 cap for Taranaki. Has scored centuries and held the Hawke Cup with Hawkes Bay and North Canterbury.
John Beale, Ngoni Mupamba, Taene Nelly, Asher Ryan, Josh Gard and Chris Logan yet to be capped for Taranaki.