Emma McLeod top-scored with 33 runs for the Korus against Taranaki on Sunday. PHOTO/FILE
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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Southey Sayer Wairarapa Korus coach Simon Roseingrave was happy to come home with the points from their Shrimpton Trophy match against Taranaki, even though he said the game should not have been played.
The Pukekura Park pitch and outfield were saturated after heavy rain in New Plymouth on Saturday night, and Roseingrave was surprised that play started with the game reduced from 40 overs to 20 overs a side.
“We probably shouldn’t have played because the outfield was wet and spongy in places, and as soon as you walked on it, water came up around your feet, and the pitch was very soft,” Roseingrave said.
“Every bowler was leaving a divot in the pitch, and we knew it was going to be difficult scoring when the first ball from the opening bowler, a spinner, was a half-tracker. You could see it stick in the pitch, and it took forever to get there [to the batter].”
However, Roseingrave felt Taranaki made a mistake of opting to bowl after winning the toss because that showed that the slower one bowled, the harder it was to hit the ball.
The soft and holding nature of the pitch made the opening partnership of 40 runs between Gemma Sims [24] and Emma McLeod [33] off just 8.4 overs even more meritorious.
“They bat well together, and when they’re out there, they just look so comfortable. With Gemma scoring at a run a ball on that pitch and with the slow outfield, boundaries were few and far between, so their effort was the highlight.
“It was hard to get going, and we were never going to accelerate. I thought if we could make 100-110 that would be a really competitive target.”
The Korus fell short of that target, however, their total of 93-7 proved to be more than enough, as Taranaki were restricted to 78-7.
Courtney Olson was the pick of the bowlers with her slow medium seam-up bowling claiming 2-11 off four overs. Macy Lyford, and Ella Southey also took two wickets each.
The win was the Korus’ second in the Shrimpton Trophy. Their next outings are against Nelson and Hawke’s Bay in a doubleheader in Wairarapa on January 15-16.
BRIEF SCORES
Wairarapa Korus 93-7 [Emma McLeod 33, Gemma Sims 24; Caitlin Marshall 3-11, Kate Baxter 2-22] beat Taranaki 78-7 [Macy Lyford 2-11, Courtney Olson 2-11, Ella Southey 2-17] by 15 runs.
