Cricket: Taranaki keen to maintain Furlong Cup momentum

Ian Snook

With 11 valuable Furlong Cup points stored away following the quality performance against Hawkes Bay, the Whitaker Civil Engineering Taranaki men’s team will be looking to maintain their momentum against Whanganui this weekend (16/17 November) at Pukekura Park.

Whanganui are also coming off an 11 pointer against Horowhenua-Kapiti, as well as a first innings win against Taranaki last season, which indicates another tough clash being on the cards.

Taranaki make two changes to their playing 12 with Oli Burbidge being unavailable and replaced by Trent McGrath, with Rupert Young taking over Burbidge’s wicket-keeping role, and fast bowler Chris Logan selected to provide an edge to the bowling ranks, which has meant batsman Josh Borrell has been omitted.

McGrath is an experienced campaigner, now back in the province after an impressive Manawatu career, whilst Logan will be running on for his first Taranaki cap fresh from a very successful season in England in the minor leagues.

At the crease Dean Robinson, Baillie Wisnewski, Liam Muggeridge and skipper Sam Fastier have all had recent success with the bat against Whanganui, whilst speedster Ryan Watson has tormented Whanganui on many previous occasions. These top-level performances will need to be replicated and improved on, and the brilliant fielding from the Hawkes Bay game maintained, if Taranaki are to continue their positive start to the season.

Over the previous four seasons the teams stand at two-all, with Whanganui grabbing first-innings points twice after scoring over 300, with wickets still in hand. Only another concentrated and enthusiastic effort from Fastier’s team will bring the rewards.

Head coach Chris Coombe has selected one debutant in Logan and he will be one to watch. Backed up by ‘man-of-the-match’ against Hawkes Bay, John Beale (pictured), himself a former Whanganui rep, the lively Watson, the accurate Jordy Gard and quality spinners Liam Carr and Mattie Thomas, Coombe will be looking to make consistent inroads into the Whanganui line-up.

All the Taranaki batsman will be wanting to improve on their first outings against Hawkes Bay and there is sure to be plenty of determination in their ranks.

The full line-up is: (number of caps in brackets):

Sam Fastier (c) (18), John Beale (1), Liam Carr (10), Jordan Gard (31), Chris Logan (0), Trent McGrath (6), Liam Muggeridge (70), Dean Robinson (119), Mattie Thomas (82), Ryan Watson (58), Bailey Wisnewski (17), Rupert Young (2). 

Starting time on both days is 10.30am.

Full details including live scores can be found here at PlayHQ: https://www.playhq.com/.../furlong-cup/game-centre/4004e417

View the livestream footage here: www.livenow.nz