A hungry South Canterbury cricket team is in town stalking the Hawke Cup

A hungry South Canterbury cricket team is in town stalking the Hawke Cup

They have never been here before, in fact in the entirety of provincial cricket in New Zealand, Taranaki and South Canterbury have never played each other before. This certainly adds a good deal of intrigue to this game.

South Canterbury has earned this opportunity through the absolute domination of Zone 4 teams, Otago Country, North Otago, Mid Canterbury and Southland.

Names such as Sam Carlaw, Shaun Rooney, Hamish Caird and Ben Davenport may never have had any media space in Taranaki, but this team didn’t arrive here through luck. They arrived because they are by far and away the best side in the bottom half of the South Island.

Success for the Whitaker Civil Engineering Taranaki side is going to require one more huge effort, with a possible victory creating plenty of discussion as to whether this is the most successful squad since Taranaki records began in 1894.

The only glitch in the season was an outright loss to Whanganui after setting them an attainable target in a push to force the outright win. Even then Taranaki came out of the game with 13 points against Whanganui’s 11, following a big first innings lead.

The Furlong Cup was won with victories against Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Horowhenua-Kapiti and the 13-11 result against Whanganui.

This led to lifting the Hawke Cup against holders Hawkes Bay, and two successful Hawke Cup defences against Hamilton and Canterbury Country. This team has improved in every outing.

Now is the time to be brave once again.

As with all successful teams, this has been a season where everyone has contributed. Three of the heavyweights, Dean Robinson, Trent McGrath and Rupert Young, have notched up centuries, with newcomer John Beale and the Little Magician, Liam Carr, both producing honours board bowling performances.

Young has churned out 565 runs for the season, McGrath has 413, and Robinson has moved his all-time tally to 5396, 450 ahead of the next man, Brian Richards.

Liam Muggeridge has moved into 8th Taranaki batsman overall with 2373 runs, scoring a healthy 396 so far this season. Also, with a consistent season under his belt, and a highest score of 97 to boot, Bailey Wisnewski has progressed to 899 runs. Both these players can go ‘big’.

Rampant Ryan Watson is leading the charge at the bowling crease having now notched up a career 193 wickets, securing 23 so far this season. This places Watson in fourth position, chasing Gary Robertson’s 203, and off in the distance a couple of all-time greats for Taranaki, Jamie Watkins and Alistar Jordan. Jordan sits on an incredible 375.

Mattie Thomas, maturing like a good wine, has 173 scalps, with the young brigade Freakish Ben Frewin, the determined Jordan Gard and the magical Liam Carr, taking 20, 25 and 27 wickets respectively, at very low costs, during this season.

Along with Young’s exceptional batting, he has set very high standards behind the stumps, which has in turn led to a season of quality fielding performances. Some of the catches have been so incredibly good they have been match-winners in their own right.

With the pressure of Hawke Cup cricket enveloping all those involved, the wise and unflappable skipper, Sam Fastier, has demonstrated great control. His craftmanship will now be required for another three days. Captaincy is an absolutely crucial part of cricket, and Fastier is handling things with aplomb.

All of Taranaki will be hoping that they see that very wide smile on Fastier’s face just one more time this season.

There can be no periods of mediocrity in Hawke Cup games. A constant focus and intensity are the basic requirements. To be the best, you must keep beating the best.

Taranaki will take an unchanged side going into this game which is certainly a luxury. The same 12 will line up as they have done for the challenge and the two defences.

The team with number of games in brackets:

The Front Line:

Dean Robinson (125), Bailey Wisnewski (27), Sam Fastier © (25).

The Artillery:

Rupert Young (11), Liam Muggeridge (80), Trent McGrath (13).

The Spitfires:

Jordan Gard (VC)(41), Ryan Watson (65), Ben Frewin (25)

The Tacticians:

Mattie Thomas (92), Liam Carr (20).

The Grunt: Jacob Leuthard-Richards (6) [12th man].

Full match details including live score available here at NZC: https://scoring.nzc.nz/

Live stream will be available here: www.livenow.nz