Jaco Vorster on his way to 85 runs against Whanganui on Saturday. PHOTO/WHANGANUI CHRONICLE
CRICKET
ELI HILL
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It wasn’t the result Wairarapa was hoping for going into their last Furlong Cup cricket match of the year, with the side suffering a first innings loss to Whanganui at Victoria Park, Whanganui, over the weekend.
The two-day match was the last of the season for the teams, whom were placed fourth-equal in the cup standings on 23 points.
Opening batsmen Robbie Anderson and Anthony Sprowson got Wairarapa off to a strong start on Saturday, with a 94-run partnership that lasted 26 overs before Sprowsen was bowled for 30.
Anderson battled on, reaching 63, including 11 fours.
When Anderson fell, Whanganui managed to pocket two more wickets before Jaco Vorster took up the mantle for Wairarapa, hitting 85 runs off 112 balls, including 12 fours and three sixes.
Vorster also formed an 85-run partnership with captain Daniel Ingham that saw the side reach 198 runs early in the 63rd over when Ingham was caught for 39 runs off 70 balls.
With Ingham and Vorster out Whanganui captured another wicket before Patrick Gluck made the team’s final stand.
Gluck ended not out on 34 as the three remaining wickets fell quickly, for a total of 279 in the 88th over.
In the field, spinner Ingham was quick to strike, taking his first two wickets in the fourth over before taking a third in the 10th.
However, as play came to a close on for the day, Ingham made a diving catch on the boundary and injured his knee.
Whanganui finished the day on 64-3 and things looked hopeful for Wairarapa.
But Ingham’s knee left him unable to take to the field on Sunday and Wairarapa had to face a further 77 overs without a replacement fielder to rotate in hot conditions.
Whanganui went on to produce a solid batting performance, including 122 runs from Central Districts batsman Ben Smith.
Peter Sigvertsen battled well, taking a three-wicket bag, with Anderson and Vorster claiming a wicket each, before Whanganui declared at 385 for 8.
Wairarapa reached 80-3 in their second innings.
Coach Neil Perry said the team was happy with the effort they’d produced on the field.
“I’m really proud of how we’ve done we played a high standard of cricket on the field and there was plenty of communication among the team.
“I think we were unfortunate that we couldn’t have Daniel [Ingham] on the field today. We’ve really put in the hard graft and I feel if things had been slightly different I wouldn’t have been surprised if we’d
won the game.”
Wairarapa team: Robbie Anderson, Choi Jackson, Jeremy Osborne, Patrick Gluck, Jaco Vorster, Daniel Ingham [c], Jack Forrester, Gordon Reisima, Anthony Sprowson, Cole Freeman, Quinn Childs, Pete Sigvertsen.
Brief scores:
Whanganui: 385-8, 96 overs [B Smith 122, M Fraser 64, M Simes 54no; D Ingham 3-24 P Sigvertsen 3-92] beat Wairarapa: 279, 88.5 overs and 80-3 [J Vorster 85, R Anderson 63, D Ingham 39; D Martin 5-67, C Stewart 3-48]
