DOWN EPIC LIFTS PONIES TO PRICHARD TITLE

March 27, 2019. Some of the city’s best cricketers assembled at Cornwall Park on Saturday for Auckland Club Cricket’s Prichard Cup Final. Cornwall and Takapuna were both at full-strength for, what might have been, the first time this summer. International and domestic commitments have kept no less than nine representatives from turning out as often as they may like, but here was one last opportunity for Limited Overs glory.

Cornwall batted first on a wicket with a greenish tinge to it. Rumour has it the pitch may have received an early morning sprinkling. There were no concerns about it drying in time; it was a scorcher and Roz McNeill intimated that the Ponies would probably have bowled first in any case.

Gemma Adams and Saachi Shahri were solid in defence in the face of McNeill’s testing inswingers, while Lauren Heaps opened up from the clubhouse end with flight and accuracy. The initial pressure did not result in an early breakthrough for Takapuna. As the sun beat down and baked the pitch, stand-in skipper Lauren Down gave her bowlers every chance to strike.

Several inside edges crashed into the front pads of the Cornwall openers, but the pair were setting the type of foundation Cornwall will have spoken about. Adams hit back-to-back boundaries to start the fifth over. Shahri drove firmly and regularly took on the fielders. Though quick singles kept Cornwall moving, Naveena Hira and Arlene Kelly threatened the developing partnership. One Hira over consisted of two inside-edges, a dropped return chance and a leading edge out into the covers.

Hira conceded just 24 runs in her first seven overs at an intriguing time in the match. Cornwall could have taken the game to Takapuna and accelerated and they probably should have. 250 looked a good score and it was one that would certainly have challenged the visitors. Runs on the board and all that. Kelly was equally as miserly as her opening five overs went for just eight runs.

The secondary wave of pressure was rewarded when Shahri drove Hira uppishly to a floating Down at extra cover. At 81/1, in the 26th over, Takapuna were finally in the match. Katie Perkins wasn’t going to let one bring two and started rather confidently. Four singles in five deliveries wasn’t the most spectacular of starts, but it didn’t need to be. The singles were intent enough.

Adams continued responsibly and with the patience of a player confident with her gameplan. Perkins' presence could only have added to that confidence. On 65, having brought up a timely second fifty of the summer, Adams was trapped leg-before by another McNeill inswinger.

Maddy Green flicked Hira (2-39) to midwicket where Anlo van Deventer took a simple catch. I had written comfortable, but there isn’t anything comfortable about a split webbing. Perkins lost regular partners as Takapuna rallied in time for the death overs. When Heaps snuck one through Emma Fulbrook, the Ponies were on the charge.

Cornwall needed someone to stick around with Perkins. Kelly (3-36) was reintroduced in the 46th over and, either side of a wide, dismissed two Hearts teammates in Tariel Lamb and Bella Armstrong – the latter sharing a joke all but all the way off the field.

Perkins hit seven of her nine boundaries in the final ten overs. Unfortunately for the hosts, there were none from the other end and despite finishing on an unbeaten 72, Perkins could have done with a bit more strike. Cornwall scraped 215/7 off their fifty overs and it was enough to fight for Prichard Cup glory with.

The Ponies had power at the top. The extent of the injury to van Deventer, however, was still up in the air. Cornwall also opened up with some left-arm orthodox in Fran Jonas. It didn’t take long for the youngster to go through Maddy Probert.

Kelly joined Down at the wicket and the Hearts pairing were charged with the task of setting up the chase. Down took her time as Bella Armstrong came up with a relatively tidy spell. At the other end, Jonas’ unerring nagging length threatened both edges. By drinks, Down was in. Kelly was playing the perfect supporting role – ticking over strike and finding the boundary regularly enough to keep the pressure from building.

Wickets were the key for Cornwall and the hosts were doing all the right things; attacking the stumps, fielding as a unit and making just enough noise to show they were still in the fight. Were they luckless? Perhaps. Equally, the Pony Pair were resolute in building towards the total. The odd stroke went aerially near fielders – Down was even dropped at mid-off – as the second wicket partnership went past three-figures.

Claire Crooks rotated her bowlers in search for some magic. It never came. Down and Kelly were having fun and, in doing so, responsibly cruising towards the target. But just when the crowd were readying themselves to acknowledge a superb Down hundred, Kelly (40) edged one through to a waiting Lamb. A short time later, Down’s controlled punch through the covers brought up what loomed for some time as an inevitable century.

While van Deventer came in at four to help take the Ponies to victory, Down decided it was time to race home. Having taken an over or two to regain focus after a rather nonchalant celebration, Down added an array of boundaries to an already packed wagon wheel – the most explosive, a lofted on-drive onto the nets.

The fight never truly left Cornwall as a ring field and an off-side plan came into play. It was too late. Takapuna reached the total to win by eight wickets with Down unbeaten on a magnificent 133* from 140 balls. It was an inning that will be remembered for quite some time and one that really showcased how comfortable Down is with her game at the moment.