Cricket: Two honours board performances for Taranaki

By Ian Snook

Photo: Trent McGrath in action on his way to a pivotal 106 at Queen Elizabeth Park. It was the first of two Honour’s Board performances for Whitaker Civil Taranaki on the weekend, with left arm spinner Liam Carr taking 7-56

Whitaker Civil Taranaki took every point available against Wairarapa in Masterton in the weekend, led by Trent McGrath stroking his way to 106, Liam Carr killing it with a seven-wicket haul in Wairarapa’s second innings, and a first innings bag of five, for the ever accurate Jordan Gard.

These special performances ensured Taranaki had the edge throughout the game with the team gaining a maximum 16 points (4 bowling; 4 batting; 5 first innings; plus 3 for the outright) With Manawatu dealing to Whanganui and Hawkes Bay dismissing Horowhenua-Kapiti, the result means Taranaki are still sitting four points behind Manawatu, the main protagonists in the chase for a Hawke Cup challenge in January.

Manawatu play Hawkes Bay in the next round, where hopefully they will only secure a few points, before meeting with Taranaki in January.

Taranaki will be chasing another maximum bag against Horowhenua-Kapiti in two weeks to put them in a strong position leading into the Manawatu clash. Saturday kicked off with a few well-chosen words from the very pumped up 1970’s Hawke Cup all-rounder Ross “Crafty” Crow, who was on board to present Jacob Leuthard-Richards with his first Furlong Cup cap.

Wairarapa won the toss and decided to bat on a fresh-looking wicket. With plenty of starts, but a top score of only 22 by Mark Steventon, they would have been extremely disappointed, only managing a total of 146.

Jordan Gard was the destroyer. Coming on at first change he was soon into his work with his accurate and penetrating medium-pacers, and the two opening batsmen were soon back in the shed. From then on it was a constant trickle of dismissals.

Gard was outstanding for his 5-36, speedster Ryan Watson bagged two, whilst Liam Carr tricked top scorer Steventon.

There were also two run outs orchestrated with some outstanding fielding from Bailey Wisnewski and Gard. Josh Borrell and Wisnewski opened with a 48-run partnership, but there was a flurry of lost wickets, including another polished innings of 43 by Wisnewski, which took the score to 6-134.

With 300 the target McGrath and Mattie Thomas set about restoring the momentum and domination.

McGrath displayed his calm demeanour and clever shot-choice which led to an Honours Board performance of 106.

Alongside him, Thomas showed some form and hit an attractive 46. Watson arrived when Thomas was dismissed, smacked a quickfire 32, and it was then up to McGrath and Gard to take the total to 300 which they did.

With two sessions left to play and Wairarapa 156 in arrears John Beale made a quick breakthrough before Jake Jonas and Jeremy Anderson put together a partnership of 75.

It was the introduction of the spin-twins Carr and Thomas, that broke the partnership, and when Carr dismissed Robbie Anderson for 46, the writing was on the wall for the Wairarapa team. Taranaki’s star of the show was young left-armer Carr.

Bowling with clever control with his changes of pace, and varying his flight, he proved to be the master of the occasion, with figures of 7-56 from 18 overs.

More will be seen of this youngster. The wicket-keeping of Rupert Young also deserves a mention with two catches and a stumping off spinner Carr.

This is no mean feat. Taranaki required 34 runs to win outright with plenty of time available and they comfortably knocked the runs off.

The momentum continues. Full scorecard available here at PlayHQ: https://www.playhq.com/.../furlong-cup/game-centre/1d5bc564