Goodsports: Manawatu century makers let loose angry volley of sixes

OPINION: So many sixes were slammed over the fence by Manawatu century makers Jamie How and Luke Murray in the Hawke Cup cricket defence at Fitzherbert Park on Saturday evening, sentries needed to be posted.

Those bombs either bounced off the roof of the groundsmen's shed or into thick bushes. One ball was found. But play was delayed further because one of the Bay of Plenty fielders got himself lost and hadn't realised the cherry had been returned to the field.

All hail to Manawatu who scored a record 659 yesterday in reply to Bay of Plenty's 100, including a double century to Jamie How and tons to Luke Murray and David Meiring.

* When we received notice that Turbos rugby lock Reece Robinson was running Ka Pai Cuts, we assumed he'd joined halfback Aaron Smith in the hairdressing industry.

But no, Robinson has set himself up as a Palmerston North lawn-mowing specialist and is on the lookout for turf to trim.

The good news is he is staying with the Turbos.

He had contemplated a return to playing in Japan, but foreign contracts have been slashed in half there.

Comments have been made about Manawatu cricketer Bevan Small's prolific beard since we published his photo last Thursday.

He said he got tired of having to shave when he was at Palmerston North Boys' High School. Obviously he is mature beyond his years and the Central Districts selectors have noticed.

We hear there is a chance, come the Stags' last five games of the season, that the express lad will be pressed into first-class service, whiskers and all.

* Central Districts cricket coach Dermot Reeve, resting at home in Sydney, didn't do his injured achilles tendon a lot of good when he answered a mercy call recently.

We're told his wife cried out that there was a snake by the pool and Reeve took off outside to save the day. The serpentine dash hurt his foot.

It's understood he will be back for CD's final two matches and we assume that will be it for the Englishman. Having him resident in Queenstown and then Sydney hasn't been ideal and he needed universal support from the Stags players.

* The Kiwi West Aquatics swim club has been named by Swimming Manawatu as the best club in Manawatu for the 25th straight year.

Trevor Nicholls began the club as Kiwi in 1985 with 19 kids and now under his son Andrew, there are 70 competitive swimmers. It became Kiwi West when Kiwi moved from the Lido complex and merged with the West End Swim Cub.

The other Manawatu clubs are Dannevirke, Dolphin (Feilding), Feilding, Ice Breaker Aquatics, Levin, Linton, Pahiatua, Palmerston North and Te Kawau.

* While Manawatu is basking in February sunshine, Palmerston North business man Brian Green is chasing the snow in frigid locales. He has driven the Rally of Sweden and is now contesting the Chinese championship in ice and snow near the Mongolian border.

- © Fairfax NZ News