Elizabeth Cohr couldn’t repeat her run-scoring feats of the previous week. PHOTOS/JADE CVETKOV
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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Coach Simon Roseingrave will have few fingernails left after the Southey Sayer Wairarapa Korus held on to beat Manawatu by four runs in a thrilling Shrimpton Trophy match at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval on Sunday.
But this was a game the Korus should have wrapped a lot earlier after having the visitors struggling at 46 for the loss of six wickets, chasing 153 for victory.
Wicketkeeper Gemma Sims had set the platform for the Korus with a superb 55, which unusually was devoid of boundaries. But the regular loss of wickets had the Korus at 113-7 and struggling to set a defendable total.
The last three batters Hattie Vincent, Olivia Roseingrave, and Ella Southey batted sensibly to add a valuable 39 runs for a respectable score of 152-9 off their 40 overs.
Good bowling from Olivia Roseingrave, Ella Southey, and Emma McLeod knocked the top off the Manawatu order, and a comfortable victory looked a formality.
Wicketkeeper Sam McKinder [40] and Sarah Norman [34] had other ideas though and added 77 runs for the seventh wicket.
Once they were dismissed, Courtney Infield continued the momentum until she was run out.
Simon Roseingrave said it was the fourth match in a row that the team had suffered a flat patch, and they must learn from it.
“In reality, it’s still a bit frustrating. We really should have rolled them for about 80 or 90 … it’s just that lack of intensity,” he said
“We are a young team, and our oldest player on Sunday was 19. We were playing a more experienced side.
“Sian Ruck is an ex-White Fern bowler, and she’s 36 years of age. We don’t have that experience, and what that means is we can drift in and out of games just through that lack of experience.”
The coach was impressed with some of the individual performances.
“Gemma batted very well, and Olivia bowled well, and they led the team well.”
“Ella Southey bowled fantastically and hit really good lengths, and that was the key on the pitch.”
He also praised McLeod’s bowling and Elizabeth Cohr, who got the team across the line.
Meanwhile, the Korus’ Central Hinds players Monique Rees and Melissa Hansen were in the wickets in two easy wins over the Auckland Hearts in New Plymouth over the weekend.
Rees had identical figures of 3-15 off four overs in both games, while Hansen took 2-14 off eight overs on Sunday.
Ex-Koru Kate Sims also claimed 3-25 in her debut for the Canterbury Magicians against the Otago Sparks.
BRIEF SCORES
Wairarapa Korus 152-9 [Gemma Sims 55; Courtney Infield 3-17] beat Manawatu 148 [Sam McKinder 40, Sarah Norman 34; Olivia Roseingrave 2-26, Ella Southey 2-24, Emma McLeod 2-30] by four runs.
