Marlborough earns Hawke Cup challenge

PATRICK HAMILTON

TRAPPED: Marlborough wicketkeeper Greg Stretch and slip Jerrym Lamb successfully appeal for leg before wicket against Nelson batsman Mark Douglas yesterday. Nick d'Auvergne (not pictured) was the successful bowler.

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It took until the final session of the final Hawke Cup elimination match of the season, but Marlborough will again have a Hawke Cup challenge.

The Biddy Kate's Marlborough senior representative cricket team completed a first-innings win over Nelson at Saxton Field yesterday to achieve their first challenge for the coveted trophy since 1994.

With the win, Marlborough finished tied at the top of zone three with unlikely contenders Buller and bagged the cup challenge thanks to a superior run-rate differential.

"I'm really proud of the boys. It's the best all-round team effort we've had since I've been coaching them," Marlborough coach Denis Aberhart said.

"We had the calculators out on Friday night and knew what we needed to do. We lost the toss and were put in to bat. We needed to score 300 and only lose six wickets. To go out and do the job with that pressure hanging over them was a remarkable effort."

A determined batting effort on Saturday, led by a fine century from Andrew McCaa, set Marlborough up for the win.

McCaa batted for most of the day to craft 128 from 271 balls, eventually being last man dismissed as Marlborough declared shortly before stumps at 320 for seven.

He came to the crease at 44 for one after Tim Abrahams (22) and Greg Stretch (22) had seen off the first hour.

McCaa paced himself throughout the innings as survival was the order of the day early with Nelson's bowlers able to extract movement from the lively pitch.

Marlborough battled through to lunch two wickets down but Bryce Smith was trapped leg before wicket by Jon Routhan for 11 soon afterwards to leave the score 86 for three.

Jackson Pearce solidified the position, striking 42 as he helped give the innings impetus in a 72-run partnership with McCaa. Josh Poole continued the momentum, scoring 56 as he and McCaa added 114 runs for the fifth wicket.

Jerrym Lamb added just 10, but Ben Wheeler struck a vital unbeaten 19 before the declaration.

Marlborough's batsmen had set the platform, but Marlborough's bowlers had to toil on a pitch that got lower and slower throughout the two days, offering little for the seamers.

Mark Gear had Chris Bartholomeusz (14) caught by Pearce with the score at 23, but Dan Cooper (36) and skipper Mark Gardiner (68) continued to hold the Marlborough attack out until Cooper was bowled by Nick d'Auvergne at 95.

D'Auvergne struck again when he trapped Mark Douglas (4) lbw soon afterwards, then also snapped up the key wicket of Gardiner, who had set himself to bat through the innings.

Nelson's sixth wicket fell at 185, but BJ Barnett and Peter Younghusband continued to deny Marlborough, taking Nelson to tea without loss of a further wicket.

The new ball and a piece of fielding brilliance eventually ended Nelson's resistance. Bryce Smith scooped up a low left-handed catch at backward point off the bowling of Ben Wheeler to dismiss Barnett for 48 with the Nelson score at 252.

Wheeler struck twice more, and Hegglun grabbed a wicket as the last four wickets tumbled for three runs and Marlborough claimed victory with just over an hour to spare.

Stretch, who captained Marlborough in the absence of Geoff Barnett and also played for Marlborough when they last challenged for, and won, the Hawke Cup in 1994, said it took a top team effort to secure the win and another challenge.

"There were a few nervous moments but we stuck at it. We stepped up with the bat then it took a top effort from the bowlers to keep the pressure on.

"It's a great feeling to get another challenge. I always thought I would play in another one, but it's been a long time between games."

Stretch said the players would need to put in a lot of work over the next three weeks to be prepared.

Marlborough's Hawke Cup challenge is scheduled for February 27 to March 1.

Their opponent is not yet known. Holders Hawke's Bay currently have a battle on their hands to keep the cup. Challengers Manawatu lead by 161 runs on the first innings and are 110 for three in the second innings heading into today's third and final day of play.

Whoever wins the match will then play Bay of Plenty before Marlborough challenges the winner of that game.

REP BOARD HAWKE CUP MATCH

Marlborough first innings T Abrahams c Douglas b Hodgson22 G Stretch c Paki Paki b King22 A McCaa lbw b Bartholomeusz128 B Smith lbw b Routhan11 J Pearce c Barnett b Hodgson42 J Poole c Douglas b King56 J Lamb c Gardiner b Hodgson10 B Wheeler not out19 G Hegglun not out0 Extras (9lb, 1 nb)10 Total (for 7 wkts dec)320 Fall: 44, 65, 86, 158, 272, 288, 320 Bowling: M King 30-14-75-2, J Routhan 25-5-72-1, B Hodgson 17-7-43-3 (1nb), P Younghusband 24-3-84-0, B Barnett 9-1-23-0, C Bartholomeusz 7-3-14-1.

Nelson first innings D Cooper b d'Auvergne36 C Bartholomeusz c Pearce b Gear14 M Gardiner c Lamb b d'Auvergne68 M Douglas lbw b d'Auvergne4 R Edwards lbw b Hegglun36 B Barnett c Smith b Wheeler48 K Paki Paki b Hegglun0 P Younghusband c Lamb b Wheeler15 J Routhan lbw b Hegglun0 B Hodgson not out0 M King lbw b Wheeler0 Extras (15b, 9lb, 2w, 8nb)34 Total (all out)255 Fall: 23, 95, 113, 167, 185, 185, 252, 255, 255, 255 Bowling: B Wheeler 19.3-6-33-3 (6nb, 1w), N d'Auvergne 27-4-73-3, M Gear 13-2-60-1, G Hegglun 23-8-58-3 (2nb, 1w), J Lamb 4-2-7-0. Marlborough won on first innings.

- The Marlborough Express