TAKAPUNA SPIN TO WIN SHORTENED AFFAIR

February 21, 2018. Imagine explaining to a friend how you play the same game of cricket over two Saturdays. Then imagine explaining what happens when the first Saturday gets washed out. After last week’s deluge, Auckland’s Premier clubs were forced into the ole two-day rules in one day scenario – a tricky juxtaposition that increases the importance of the toss.

In what was the last round of the Hedley Howarth round robin before the top four and bottom four teams are set for the final three rounds, Takapuna played host to Parnell at Onewa Domain. The visitors won the toss and predictably decided to bowl first.

A circumspect Takapuna start suggested the wicket was two-paced. Bowling with the breeze from the Netball Centre End offered some zip and, at times, bounce. The Clubhouse End, however, appeared to be a little stoppy. While Dean van Deventer found Dan ter Braak's outside edge, the chance snuck between a wrongfooted keeper Elliot Foster and first slip for the first boundary of the day.

Guy Harley pulled a short delivery from Ganesh Ratnasabapathy; it travelled flat and quickly, but deep square could not get his hands underneath it. Harley played a couple of beautiful, yet fruitless on-drives as Parnell maintained their disciplined start. A six over mid-wicket, though, signalled a change in intent.

On several occasions, van Deventer had beaten the bat with a nagging length before he was finally rewarded. He again found Dan ter Braak’s outside edge and Foster held on to a low diving catch to his right.

After a brief discussion with his skipper, Brad Rodden took his slip out to new batsman Will O’Donnell. A chance immediately flew through the vacant area. Harley then played one drive too many as Rodden accepted a sharp return catch two balls into his day’s work.

The O’Donnell brothers were left to consolidate. It wasn’t going to be easy for new batsmen coming to a difficult wicket. Straighter deliveries were difficult to tuck away and width wasn’t coming on to the bat. As 300+ bikers, with police presence in tow, roared up the Onewa off-ramp to park up at the Poenamo Hotel, Rob O’Donnell showed some funkiness – attempting to paddle Josh Fisher before charging down the wicket and swinging across the line. I’m still not sure if he was brave, confident or simply knew which risks he could take on his home wicket.

Will O’D was left in anguish and disappointment as a leading edged flick ended in the hands of mid-on. Fisher was rewarded for his tidy start. Mitch McCann was then the beneficiary of some good fortune as Rob O’D played an innocous delivery onto his back foot. The ball quickly rolled back onto the stumps and both O’D brothers were out in the shadows of lunch.

Parnell would have wanted another wicket prior to the break, but Elliott Herd had other ideas. He clubbed his first ball for six over wide long-on and repeated the dose thrice off McCann’s next over – two slog sweeps and one pulled half-tracker towards the bushes. Three balls before lunch Herd mishit another heave and survived a chance on the leg-side.

The post-lunch session started with plenty of action. First, what must have been a stag-do streaker; then, Herd’s well-timed cut caught at point. From 122/4, Takapuna were reduced to 155/7 when Hendrick van Vuuren picked out one of Goddard’s four leg-side fielders. Shane Setia and Ross ter Braak were left with some overs to bat. The pair negotiated the last seven overs confidently adding 54 runs for the eighth wicket. Six players scored between 23 and 36 as Takapuna set Parnell 205 to win.

It would take some grit and fight to chase it, but I held out hope for a tight finish. The pressure came on early. Ross ter Braak sent out a warning signal that he was going to be a handful in swing-friendly conditions. Big appeal first ball. Not out. Herd opened up from the other end and he too had a big shout first ball. Not out. Ben Rae got down to sweep the next delivery. He may have got outside the line, but the finger went up. The next ball was short and pulled down to Setia at short fine leg. As Setia dived to his right, a mix-up was unfolding. He returned an accurate throw and Flynn McGregor-Sumpter was well-short.

Ross ter Braak hit the pads once more to start his second over and Andy Lane was given out. Thirteen balls. Five loud appeals. Three wickets. Men around the bat. Plenty of pressure. McCann then couldn’t believe his luck when, in the 6th over, his leg glance was parried by keeper van Vuuren to an alert Rob O’D who took a slick diving one-hander at leg slip. Jesse Simpson was later left a little confused when left-arm orthodox spinner Matt Jones got one to burn from wide out and into his woodwork. Tea was taken and Parnell were 21/5.

It didn’t get much easier for Parnell after tea. Takapuna picked up another deflected catch – this time much simpler as Dave Goddard’s outside edge rebounded off the keeper to second slip. At 26/6, with a cover sweeper still in position, I fully expected the block-a-thon to begin, but Parnell never really put their shots away.

Herd picked up his third and fourth wickets in almost identical fashion as outside edges were taken by van Vuuren. Rodden showed the grit required to chase the score, but he was the only Parnell player to surpass double figures. As the wickets fell at the other end he played a few more shots. He hit a four and a couple of sixes to get Parnell past fifty. Matt Jones tidied up the tail to claim his third and fourth wickets to complete Takapuna’s first innings victory. Rodden was left 40 not out.

All of this by roughly 5pm. From here, my gameday notes read ‘Takapuna enforced the follow on. I went home’ and that is exactly what happened. With Parnell’s hopes of securing a top four spot in tatters, they got through to stumps relatively safely at 64/3.