Manawatu take sweet revenge

SAM BAKER/The Manawatu Standard

HAWKE HAPPINESS: Adam Milne, centre, has sent another Marlburian to the pavilion.

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Manawatu's murderous Hawke Cup team erased the scars of the 1994 loss to Marlborough with their rampaging 346-run win yesterday.

The men from the wine country had the audacity to pinch the cup that time in controversial circumstances, and that side still holds reunions in Blenheim.

This time, a far younger Manawatu XI amassed 516 to Marlborough's 170 to grind the reds into the Fitzherbert Park loam. Vengeance was achieved.

"I think we've really put that one to bed," said Manawatu player-coach Ian Sandbrook. `

"I can't remember it; I was only 11 at the time."

Plenty of others can, like 39-year-old Marlborough wicketkeeper Greg Stretch, who has been around since 1987 and was playing his third Hawke Cup challenge. He was part of the 1994 heist.

"Our memories are pretty vivid," he laughed.

"There are 12 guys in Marlborough who will never forget it. We've only won it twice in 115 years: in 1968 and 1994."

Stretch admitted that it was arduous this time, fielding in the sun for virtually two entire days while Manawatu plundered runs.

"It gets pretty tough but you've got to stick at it, as long as you learn something out of it. We haven't had a game like this for 16 years.

"But it was pretty disappointing to perform the way we played."

Manawatu might be assembling a monolith after two demolitions in two defences. Next in their gunsights are North Otago in two weeks' time.

Bay of Plenty were obliterated first up by an innings and 284 runs. In two defences, Manawatu have scored 1345 runs and conceded just 545.

Manawatu could have enforced the follow-on yesterday after Marlborough keeled over for 170, and paceman Bevan Small had a sore back and didn't bowl. His express cohort Adam Milne stepped up and snared five wickets.

Marlborough were forced to field again and had the ignominy of watching Manawatu tail-ender Bryn Templeman scoring a chanceless 47.

Manawatu captain Luke Murray had called for batting volunteers, and Templeman, Small and Roald Badenhorst put their hands up. The rules allowed for a declaration to end the match early, so it came at 3.12pm. Both teams had had enough.

Marlborough might have shelled catches but they were outplayed for most of the three days.

It seems Sandbrook has a green tiger by the tail now.

"These guys have been together for a couple of seasons and I think we really understand how to play the longer version of the game now," he said.

"We've got a really good attack. To be honest, all the teams, from Hawke's Bay onwards, have been good sides.

"We are at the top of our game at the moment and everyone's contributing."

For North Otago's maroons, it will be only their fourth Hawke Cup challenge, and their first since 2002. They qualified after Otago Country needed first-innings points against South Canterbury to draw level with North Otago and win the zone, but fell short by seven runs.

Zone 4 final standings: North Otago 24, Southland 21, Otago Country 18, South Canterbury 9, Mid-Canterbury 6.

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