End of day 2 Canterbury Country trail by 181 runs with 6 wickets in hand

End of Day 2: Whitakers Civil Engineering Taranaki versus Canterbury Country (Hawke Cup)

Taranaki: 317 Trent McGrath 83; Rupert Young 59; Liam Muggeridge 47; Ben Frewin 38.

Canterbury Country: 136 – 4. AG Redfern 54 not out.

Ben Frewin 2-34; Jordan Gard 1-19; Liam Carr 1-35

Canterbury Country trail by 181 runs with 6 wickets in hand.

Taranaki resumed at 215-5, determined to bat themselves into an impenetrable position, but it was blackcap Henry Shipley bowling with a good deal of pace and accuracy, who caused the first ripples around the ground.

Mattie Thomas was bowled when the ball ran down the bat from a defensive shot and Jordan Gard was caught behind soon after and it was 7-227.

Then paceman Will Williams bounced Ryan Watson and he was adjudged caught behind as he attempted to smack it over square leg. It was 8-228. 300 was a long way off. A long, long way off. Every run was going to be crucial.

When times are tough you need tough people. Up steps Taranaki’s own Garfield Sobers, Trent McGrath and Freakish Ben Frewin. These boys set about the reclamation.

McGrath flicked them down the leg side, guided them past point, drove through the covers and accumulated 83 runs off 172 balls, hitting 12 boundaries, before he was given out caught behind.

Frewin looked all class and style as he drove sweetly in front of the wicket, recording four fours and a six in his 38.

When McGrath was dismissed soon after lunch these two had added 88 valuable runs. Taranaki were back in the game big time. There were 317 hard worked for runs on the board.

With 20 overs to bowl before tea Taranaki were on the prowl. Sam Fastier and the team wanted to end this session with a bang.

And boom! That’s exactly what they did.

Freakish Frewin knocked opening batsman Foulkes’ stumps flying. 1-24. Then he encouraged Chamberlain to try and hit him over the boundary from a fast bouncer and Chamberlain never made it. Instead, the ball was safely gobbled up inside the boundary by Gard. 2-36.

Gard then got in the act himself and sent the dangerous Shipley back to the pavilion, knocking his stumps out of the ground. At tea Canterbury Country were 3-70. Taranaki were smiling.

Already this has been a topsy turvy encounter. The first session on day 1 was shared. (Taranaki 61-2). Taranaki won session 2 (Taranaki 139-3). Session three was shared (Taranaki 215-5)

Session one on day 2 was Taranaki’s (305-8). Session 2 Taranaki edged in front as although they were quickly bowled out, they soon had CC 3-70.

Heading into session three on day 2 Taranaki were keen to drive home the advantage they were holding. However, CC added 66 runs for the loss of only Paul’s wicket when he was enticed out of his ground by the little magician, Liam Carr, and Young quickly had the bails off.

With the wicket playing progressively easier as the afternoon ticked over, Redfern and Frew settled in, having already added 38. There will be a lot riding on their shoulders at 10.30 Sunday morning.

For Taranaki, day 3 will provide the first opportunity to bowl in session 1, always the best time to have the ball in your hands. Also, there is the advantage of a new ball arriving after 21 more overs. It’ll be time for the big boys to lead the way.

As with any tough game, tough players stand up. Who will it be on day 3? It should be a cracker.

Full scorecard available here at NZC