Andy Dodd was all class at the Chapple Cup. PHOTO/FILE
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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Highmark Homes Wairarapa coach Neil Perry is a “little disappointed” that the team failed to win a game at the Chapple Cup one-day tournament in Palmerston North over the weekend.
“We had high hopes of playing some very good cricket, and although we played some good cricket at times, we didn’t manage to string a complete performance together, and because of that we came away with two losses in games we felt could win,” Perry said.
In Friday’s opening game against Manawatu, Wairarapa posted a competitive 283 runs for the loss of nine wickets off their 50 overs, with Jaco Vortster [72] and Jared van Deventer [58] creating a platform for the lower order batsmen.
Vorster was typically aggressive with his runs coming off 60 balls and featured 11 fours and two sixes.
Gus Borren [31], Stefan Hook [27no], and Ethan Childs [19] all made useful contributions in the final overs to set the home side a challenging chase.
However, some loose bowling in the early overs gave Manawatu the momentum, and Wairarapa could not pull back the run rate, with the winning runs scored with 13 balls to spare.
Andy Dodd was the shining light in the nine-wicket loss to Taranaki on the second day on Saturday.
The former national Under-19 international was all class in his 74, which came off 92 balls and included nine fours.
Vorster [15] and Hook [18] were the only other batsmen to reach double figures on the inconsistent pitch.
Left-handed opener Sebastian Lauderdale-Smith was outstanding for Taranaki, scoring his first senior representative half century and finishing 93 not out.
Perry said Wairarapa got the worst of the conditions, with gale force winds in the afternoon.
“We batted first on a very difficult surface, and although we were disappointed to be bowled out for 151, looking at the scores the previous day, pretty much the same thing had happened.
“And then we bowled and fielded in conditions when it was difficult to stand up in, so it made things a challenge,” he said.
“It was an exceptional innings by Andy Dodd, who looked class, but again we weren’t able to support him. But then I thought Stefan batted particularly well.”
Perry said medium-slow bowler Pete Sigvertsen was the pick of the bowlers over the two days, while Hook and Borren bowled well at times in difficult conditions.
“There were some good performances throughout the two days and certainly some positives to take away moving forward but we sort of quite didn’t manage to string the performances together across the board.”
Sunday’s T20 fixtures were abandoned after heavy rain in the morning.
BRIEF SCORES
Wairarapa 283-9 [Jaco Vorster 72, Jared van Deventer 58, John McKenzie 38, Gus Borren 31, Stefan Hook 27n.o.; Andre Hoggard 3-55] lost to Manawatu 284-6 [Tom O’Connor 62, Mason Hughes 39, Ma’ara Ave 58, Logan McHardy 39, Trent McGrath 44no] by four wickets.
Wairarapa 151 [Andy Dodd 74; Ryan Watson 3-41, Daniel Bernett 3-24] lost to Taranaki 152-1 [Sebastian Lauderdale-Smith 93no] by nine wickets.
