**Official** New Zealand Domestic Season 2013/2014

[Flem274*]

But Popli and Santner would struggle to play first class cricket anywhere else......

yeah because no one else would smoke an attack where ellis is the best bowler.

 

[Kippax]

Ferguson injury, second ball of the match.

 

[straw man]

Disappointed to see Wheeler injury again

Do you have a source for that? I can see Wheeler hasn't bowled in second innings but doesn't say why.

 

[Hurricane]

Either way, obviously hoping that Henry Walsh can go large.

word from the pearce cup traps is that he has 3 scoring shots only but plays them very well.

 

[Immenso]

Bevan Small has now played 8 FC games in his career, but spread over 4 seasons with 2 games each per season. It would be great if he stayed injury free for the rest of this year and we can see how good he is with a few games under his belt .......

 

[Bahnz]

Boult in not getting wickets without Southee shocker.

 

[Kippax]

Cricket: Stags eye more from top order - Hawkes Bay Today - Hawke's Bay Today News

THE MENTALITY of she'll be all right because Kruger van Wyk will stop the rot will have to end pretty smartly for the Central Districts Stags.

"We need to spend more time, especially the top order, be more patient but also showing good intent," the Devon Hotel-sponsored CD coach Heinrich Malan said after the Stags were skittled for 161 in 63.2 overs in their first innings yesterday.

No3 Carl Cachopa top-scored with 53 runs from 143 balls after opener Jamie How contributed 32 from 51 balls before No7 Van Wyk again provided a rearguard with 18 from 60 balls in the second day of the four-day Plunket Shield match at McLean Park, Napier.

Every other batsman provided single digits to make up cellphone numbers.

"It's a cut-throat business, you know, sports, It's about winning and losing and stats and performances, so not too many of our top-order batsmen are on the right side of the 30s, as we stand."

Malan said the training culture and attitude was spot on but CD needed a little bit of luck.


Instead of putting themselves under scoreboard pressure, the Central Districts batsmen needed to occupy the crease "to scrap for each ball", he said.

"At the end of the day we wanted to score a couple more runs to try to get a lead," Malan said, after his top-order struggled all summer, including the HRV Cup Twenty20 campaign where CD finished last two seasons in a row.

"People have got specific roles in a cricket side to make the 11 so the batsmen are there to score runs and the bowlers to take wickets.

"Hopefully, come tomorrow afternoon, when we strap on our pads we'll take the game nice and deep."

Ex-Black Caps seamer Mark Gillespie was their nemesis yesterday, ripping through the top order and mopping up the tail with his career-best figures of 6-38, eclipsing his previous 6-41.

It was the seamer's 19th first-class five-wicket bag.

However, with rain changing the complexion of the wicket a little and a new ball not too far away when play resumes this morning, weather permitting, the hosts were hoping to knock over the visitors, who were 143-3 at stumps, leaving them with a lead of 154 at the halfway mark.

"There's plenty to play for - two days - so a lot of things can happen and lead to another exciting finish," he said after CD beat Northern Districts Knights in the last round at the same venue for their maiden victory of the summer in two formats.

"It's not the best day at the office but that's how cricket often goes."

The Stags are down a seamer after Ben Wheeler pulled up with a side strain.

"He'll probably be out for six to eight weeks so some of the other guys will have to put their hand up tomorrow because it'll be a toil with one fewer man but that's the nature of the beast."

Comeback kid Bevan Small is relishing the new-ball role in Wheeler's absence and is an ideal position to push for opening seamer with the scalps of opening batsmen Josh Brodie (49 runs) and first-class leading run scorer Michael Papps ( 12) in the second dig.

It came hot on the heels of his first-change effort when he took 3-23 as the most economical bowler in the first innings.

"Bev is an awesome cricketer and a man for getting into the trenches so I wouldn't put it past him to put another big performance tomorrow."

Malan said it was an opportunity for him to cement the opening seamer's position but emphasised some days it could be a player's day and other days they could be toilers while someone else nailed the scalps.

Captain Kieran Nomea-Barnett, who trapped No3 Stephen Murdoch for 13 runs, had claimed his 50th first-class wicket but had "underbowled" himself at 1-21 in 11 frugal overs, including three maidens.

"It's something we've spoken about whole season and since Shags [English import Peter Trego] has left, he's becoming that fourth seamer and that's fantastic," Malan said.

With the wicket slowing down a little yesterday, batsmen didn't find it a stroll to score runs but also it wasn't easy to go out on.

No4 and ex-Black Cap Grant Elliott is unbeaten on 50 and looks settled for the long haul, although 23 wickets have tumbled on the Phil Stoyanoff strip.

Captain James Franklin is on 5 not out at the other end.

CD legspinner Tarun Nethula was finding some purchase in just day two, something that even Franklin had predicted would happen on days three and four for his spinners, Jeetan Patel and Luke Woodcock.

"All in all it was huge effort after we batted terribly yesterday [Thursday] in the second session," Franklin said,

He lauded Elliott and Brodie for laying the platform for a big score.

"We're 150-odd in front but we have a lot of work left to do even though we're in a reasonable position."

Asked if a sporting or educated declaration was in the pipeline, Franklin said it was hard to know.

"Rain is still around so I have to be constantly talking to the head groundsman, Phil," he said, mindful rain coming in from the sea had a habit of hanging around for a while.

"There might come a point tomorrow when we have enough runs on the board so we might declare but there's a lot of play left before we come to that."

Franklin is in the IPL wishlist, with CD's Doug Bracewell and injured speed merchant Adam Milne the only Stags, before the auction in April.

There were no distractions but it was comforting to know he could still make contribution at a professional level, Franklin said.

 

[Kippax]

Come on ND, serve the greater good of agribusiness. Seeing you're not in PS contention, surely the best spinner in the country should be looked to for plenty of overs at an established pair.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

word from the pearce cup traps is that he has 3 scoring shots only but plays them very well.

Having watched him a few times, I'd disagree with the "3 scoring shots" part. He certainly has favoured shots though.

 

[Flem274*]

big ticks for both fulton and latham today

 

[hendrix]

big ticks for both fulton and latham today

Will definitely be watching all of Boult vs Latham. Boult's usually pretty awesome against left handers so I'm expecting a few plays and misses.

A good hit out for both of them, really.

 

[African Monkey]

And Peter Fulton becomes Canterbury's highest ever run scorer in FC cricket with that knock today.

 

[Days of Grace]

Not sure what I wanted more. Boult to run through Canterbury, Sodhi to actually take a wicket, or Fulton and Latham to bat like they did.

 

[Bahnz]

Fulton really likes Sodhi's bowling. Took him apart in the HRV semi as well if memory serves. If a plodding giant like him as able to take Ish apart, then I absolutely shudder to think what India will do to him. I'd actually prefer it if Doug made the team ahead of him.

 

[Wright]

Fulton really likes Sodhi's bowling. Took him apart in the HRV semi as well if memory serves. If a plodding giant like him as able to take Ish apart, then I absolutely shudder to think what India will do to him. I'd actually prefer it if Doug made the team ahead of him.

Just wondering, if the kiwis are going to pick a spinner (for a test match) who should it be if Sodhi isn't up to it? Or just go with another seamer as you have suggested?

 

[ohnoitsyou]

Fulton really likes Sodhi's bowling. Took him apart in the HRV semi as well if memory serves. If a plodding giant like him as able to take Ish apart, then I absolutely shudder to think what India will do to him. I'd actually prefer it if Doug made the team ahead of him.

Tbf Fulton took Panesar apart as well.

 

[Bahnz]

If we can guarantee a couple of bouncy green result pitches than 4 seamers is definitely the best option. If NZ want a spinner to ensure they can get through their overs in time, then most of the veteran spinners in the Plunket Shield would represent a better option than Sodhi (at least in the short term). Martin, Patel, Craig, Nethula, Astle - you name it.

 

[hendrix]

yeah I wouldn't mind a Craig selection on form, but it's not going to happen.

Honestly, all things going well he shouldn't be bowling too many overs anyway. I'm actually more worried about Wagner, because he's going to bowl a lot of overs and we can't afford the crap he's been dishing out.

 

[Flem274*]

Nah I'm way more worried about Sodhi because India won't roll over and die like the West Indies did. He's going to have to bowl long spells to top six batsmen.

 

[Bahnz]

Heh, Latham dismissed for sfa and it wasn't even Boult who got him out. hendrix is going to be piiiiissed.