The Barbarians and Inspire Living Greytown hold the early advantage after the first round of the Bidwill Cup, Wairarapa’s premier club cricket championship.
However, low scores were the order of Saturday’s play, with the batters struggling to come to grips with the early season conditions.
Lansdowne were first to succumb, being dismissed for a paltry 40 after being put into bat by the Barbarians on a green Queen Elizabeth Park Oval pitch, which provided plenty of seam as well as swing due to the overcast conditions.
Opener Branden Sword was the only player to make double figures [19] as his side were bowled out in 23 overs.
The chief destroyer was representative spearhead Ethan Childs, who took four wickets for 12 runs, while left-armer Angus Jaspers picked up 3-16.
Ethan Childs then starred with the bat for the Barbarians, with a superb innings of 66 in their total of 119. At times, the tall right-hander made batting look easy, with his runs coming from just 68 balls and featuring seven fours and two sixes. However, his innings came to an abrupt and unfortunate end when he reinjured his shoulder playing a cover drive, forcing him to retire hurt. The injury is similar to one he sustained in a warmup match two weeks ago, and it will keep him out of the Wairarapa team for the opening Furlong Cup round away to Taranaki next weekend.
The slower bowlers did the damage for Lansdowne, with veteran leg-spinner Robbie Speers taking 4–35 and Regan Fricker bagging 3–42 with his slow-medium seamers.
The benefit of playing for bonus points in the second innings paid off for Lansdowne, with their batters showing much better application than in their first innings.
After losing their two openers with 11 runs on the board, Gayan Dissanayake [39] and Sanjay Patel [35] added 78 for the third wicket. A well-compiled 44 to Speers saw Lansdowne through to 160 at the end of the day’s play.
Luke Dingle and Michael Courtman starred for Inspire Living Greytown in their first innings victory over Burger King Red Star at Greytown.
Chasing Red Star’s total of 146, Greytown were staring down the barrel of a first innings loss at 100–8 when the pair came together.
Dingle had been at the crease since the fall of the third wicket and had shown good composure as his teammates fell around him. He continued his patient approach, leaving it Courtman to be the aggressor, and the number 10 batter took up the role, hitting 33 not out off 32 balls.
The pair added a valuable 45 runs for the ninth wicket, and when Dingle fell for 43, Greytown only needed two runs to pick up the eight points.
Earlier captain Jeremy Anderson led the way for Red Star with a well-compiled 52, an innings of patience and aggression from 104 balls and featuring six fours and one six.
Tony Russo and Rickey Dey were the best of the Greytown bowlers, picking up three wickets each. There was also good news for Post Office Hotel Wairarapa coach Mark Childs, with Seth Rance getting through nine tidy overs, and although he didn’t claim a wicket, the former Black Cap conceded only 17 runs.
Brief Scores
Lansdowne 40 [Ethan Childs 4-12, Angus Jaspers 3-16] and 160-9 [Robbie Speers 44, Gayan Dissanayake 39, Sanjay Patel 35; Quinn Childs 4-32] lost on first innings to Barbarians 119-9 [Ethan Childs 66 retired hurt; Speers 4-35, Regan Fricker 3-42]
Red Star 146 [Jeremy Anderson 52; Tony Russo 3-19, Rickey Dey 3-29] lost on first innings to Greytown 149-9 [Luke Dingle 43, Michael Courtman 33no]
Provisional Points
Barbarians 17, Greytown 14, Lansdowne 7, Red Star 6.
