2012 Plunket Shield Wizards v Stags Day 4

Story by: Wayne Martin - The Nelson Mail - Photo by: Chris Symes

The weather gods were wearing red and black yesterday.

 

With rain originally forecast for Nelson yesterday, there appeared little hope of a result in the Plunket Shield cricket match between the Central Stags and Canterbury Wizards after Sunday's washout.

 

Sadly for the Stags, the weather cleared and Canterbury's bowlers responded superbly to rip the heart out of the Stags' second innings and eventually secure their first win of the season by a commanding 178-run margin.

 

The Stags had declared at their overnight total of 283 for five at Saxton Oval, still 137 runs behind Canterbury's 420 for nine declared, in a bid to advance the game. But eventually set a competitive target of 297 runs off a minimum 60 overs for victory following Canterbury's second innings declaration at 159 for nine, the Stags never got close.

 

Some venomous early bowling by new-ball partners Matt Henry and left-armer Willie Lonsdale quickly had the Stags in serious trouble as they slumped disastrously at one stage to 19 for five.

 

The pair operated superbly in tandem, both quick and accurate, as Henry ended his impressive opening six-over spell with immaculate figures of four for 11.

 

None of the Stags' top six batsmen reached double figures, and it took some dogged resistance by No7 batsman Dane Cleaver to finally show some defiance. He added 18 runs in tandem with Tarun Nethula (5) for the seventh wicket, Cleaver eventually gone for 18 at 65 for eight when he edged legspinner Todd Astle to Andrew Ellis at first slip.

 

Nelson's BJ Barnett and Bevan Small showed even more fight for the ninth wicket, the pair adding 49 runs together as Barnett, in particular, adopted a positive approach.

 

He batted tidily in his maiden first-class innings, his first scoring shot being a sweetly timed pull through midwicket for four off Ellis. Barnett favoured the pull shot, surviving one life on 17 when Shanan Stewart dropped an easy lobbed chance at midwicket.

 

Small was eventually out for 22, the final wicket of Kyle Jarvis (4) falling, lbw to Astle, with the total at 118 off just 36 overs to leave Barnett unbeaten on 40 in a memorable debut. Barnett faced 56 balls and hit six fours.

 

Henry finished with four wickets and Lonsdale two, while Astle picked up his three late scalps to hasten a comfortable Canterbury win.

 

Earlier, first-innings batting hero Tom Latham had also highlighted Canterbury's second innings with a top score of 51 as Canterbury's batsmen also struggled to register against a determined Stags attack.

 

After his 145-run first innings contribution, Latham again looked composed and fluent during his 70-ball innings which included seven fours.

 

George Worker had scored 21 runs at the top of the order, while Tim Johnston finished 22 not out when the declaration finally came at 159 for nine. Kieran Noema-Barnett was again the Stags' most impressive bowler, finishing with three for 20, as Jarvis, Small and legspinner Nethula each picked up two wickets.

 

SCOREBOARD CANTERBURY WIZARDS

 

First innings 420 for 9 dec CENTRAL STAGS First innings 283 for 5 dec CANTERBURY WIZARDS Second innings G Worker b Small21 P Fulton lbw b Jarvis10 S Stewart c Cachopa b Noema-Barnett13 T Latham b Nethula51 R Young b Small1 A Ellis c Barnett b Nethula17 T Astle c Cleaver b Noema-Barnett4 M Henry b Noema-Barnett1 R McCone c Sinclair b Jarvis9 T Johnston not out22 W Lonsdale not out0 Extras (3lb, 7nb)10 Total (for 9 wkts dec, 45 overs)159 Fall: 25, 46, 46, 53, 86, 111, 117, 129, 139 Bowling: K Jarvis 12-3-39-2 (1nb), B Small 8-2-33-2, K Noema-Barnett 11-5-20-3 (1nb), T Nethula 14-1-64-2 (5nb). CENTRAL STAGS Second innings (target: 297 runs) J How c Young b Henry4 D Robinson lbw b Henry2 C Cachopa lbw b Henry4 M Sinclair b Lonsdale7 K Noema-Barnett c Young b Henry2 W Young c Ellis b Lonsdale5 D Cleaver c Fulton b Astle18 T Nethula c Ellis b Astle5 B Barnett not out40 B Small c Worker b Ellis22 K Jarvis lbw b Astle4 Extras (3lb, 1wd, 1nb)5 Total (36 overs)118 Fall: 4, 10, 17, 19, 19, 27, 45, 65, 114, 118 Bowling: M Henry 11-1-40-4, W Lonsdale 7-2-19-2 (1w), A Ellis 7-4-17-1 (1nb), R McCone 1-0-11-0, T Astle 10-1-28-3. Canterbury won by 178 runs.