Jacob Osborne. PHOTO/FILE
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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The state of the pitch at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval will be a factor when Wairarapa Cricket selectors pick their Furlong Cup side to play Whanganui in their first home game of the season this weekend.
The pitch was slow and had unpredictable bounce for the Coastal Challenge game between Burger King Red Star and Jackson Street Bar Lansdowne last Saturday.
Scoring was difficult on the dry pitch, which had patchy grass cover, with the batsmen needing great stores of concentration and patience to wait for the bad ball to put away.
Left arm spinner Quinn Childs used his height to good effect to extract considerable bounce and at times turn from the crumbling pitch.
Promising leg spinner Hugo Wakeling is unavailable for the game which will leave a big hole as he has impressed with his control in the first two games against Horowhenua-Kapiti and Taranaki.
With a dearth of spin bowlers in the region, Rathkeale College’s medium pacer Jacob Osborne could make his representative debut.
Stefan Hook, who looks to have overcome a slight strain sustained at the Chapple Cup, will likely head the pace bowling attack along with Ethan Childs. Osborne, Peter Sigvertsen, Gordon Reisima, Jaco Vorster, and Gus Borren will provide plenty of medium pace options.
If Hook is not fit to bowl, he showed last Saturday, with an unbeaten 103, that he has the tenacity to bat high in the order.
However, it would be too demanding to bat in the top order and lead the bowling attack.
That lack of depth in the top order batting could see a surprise call up for Robbie Anderson.
The left-hander has played little cricket, having been recovering from an ankle injury suffered while playing for Wairarapa-Bush in the Heartland Championship.
Anderson is a gritty player ideally suited to the vital number three position, and his experience would give valuable support to the young openers John McKenzie and Jake Jonas.
The middle order looks more settled with Brock Price to take his favoured number four spot, followed by Vorster, wicketkeeper Jack Forrester, and the bowling allrounders.
