2010 Game 4: Marewa

The touring Reds’ one-game winning streak has been terminated with extreme prejudice by Marewa. Despite the Reds compiling their best score of the tour, two missed chances proved fatal as the Hawkes Bay third grade club thumped an injury-depleted attack.

There were sore heads and bodies aplenty heading into the game after the previous night’s victory celebrations, but none sorer than the Dart Doctor who was wearing the jacket of shame after waking the entire hotel with a drunken song in the car-park at 3am. (For the record, a ditty comparing Steve “Princess” Booth to Merv Hughes.)

Skipper-for-the-day Kahn won the toss and had no hesitation in batting in perfect conditions after the tears and breast-beating that greeted his decision to bowl against Auckland Uni. The small fast Nelson Park #4 ground is one of six heavily overlapping grounds that host games each Saturday, a scene that would have Melbourne risk managers flapping their nanny-aprons in consternation. But it proved heavy going early as openers Whittock and Kahn struggled to score against the impressive Wakenshaw. Only 8 runs came from the first eight overs, before Kahn’s sweeps and Whittock’s glances picked up the rate somewhat to reach 0-62 after 25. The two openers fell to the slow bowlers, leaving Jag Gill to take charge of the second half of the innings at 2-78. Gill drove, lofted and swept for an aggressive 55, combining with Rogerson (14), Booth (11) and Clark (12) in quickfire stands that added 85 in the next 16 overs to get to 5-163. Clark was bowled by the final ball of the innings after adding a handy 15 with Croft off the last 16 balls, and Reds had their best score of the tour at 8-188.

With key bowlers Boyes and Hobbs resting with injury niggles, Reds needed everything to go right in the field. But things quickly went pear-shaped. Kahn grassed a routine catch behind in the first over, and Baker went on to smash a brutal 58. Spearhead Cooper withdrew after five overs with a rib injury, and Rogerson had a nightmare return to the bowling crease with a 17-run first over. Only Gill caused Marewa problems with a fine spell of off-spin, claiming 4-24 from ten well-flighted overs.  But no. 3 Greg Miller took advantage of an uncharacteristic miss by Croft at fly-slip to bludgeon 48 in just eight overs, including 8 fours and two sixes. Whittock’s dibbly-dobblies trapped Barrett lbw to make it 5-157 and give Reds a brief glimmer of hope. Leahy and McBrearly quickly dashed it, taking full toll of anything loose to get Marewa home with ease.

The mood was considerably more subdued than the night before, as 13 aching Reds withdrew to the impressive Hawkes Bay Cricket Association clubrooms at Nelson Park for a cheap and tasty feed. Week Two of the tour in Taupo and Hamilton promises to be a real test of bodies and spirit, especially as in-form all-rounder Gill flies home after the next game.