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Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz |
Any current critics of test match cricket obviously didn't watch all the day five drama played out at Eden Park this week.
While Sid admits that not all test matches are as entertaining as the English efforts to save the game (and the series) against the Black Caps, however when there are two competitive sides in action and a prize on the line, there can be excitement in spades.
Yesterday's stirring finish was set up by a Black Caps side that controlled the match after being asked to bat first last Friday. Going into the final day there were only two real scenarios possible, being a draw or a Black Caps' victory.
For most of the afternoon the game seemed to meander along, with the English making a good fist of playing for the draw. Late in the afternoon with three wickets to get – the Black Cap skipper made a last throw of the dice, handing the ball to Western Bays Black Cap part time bowler and dynamic batsman Kane Williamson.
With four overs remaining and the game slipping from New Zealand's clutches, Williamson sent the Kiwi crowd into a frenzy taking two wickets from three balls, and giving the Black Caps a sniff of victory.
However, England held on with the Black Caps having to accept a heart-breaking draw.
Two Western Bay of Plenty Black Caps - Kane Williamson and Trent Boult - had a massive influence on the game. Boult was in magnificent form in the English first turn at bat, taking six wickets and going on to finish with seven England bowling scalps for the match.
Such was the intensity of his pace attack in the first innings, that he posted his best test (and first class) bowling figures of 6/68.
Williamson had no less influence on the match, blasting 91 runs in the New Zealand first innings, which played a big part in the Caps posting 443 all out.
However the occasional bowler also finished with test match best figures of 4/44 and nearly brought home what would have been a magnificent Kiwi victory.
While the second day of the absorbing contest at Eden Park was taking place, four teams of Western Bay grassroots players were having their own day in the sun.
The Western Bay of Plenty Reserve and B Grade championships were fought out at Ferguson Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Reserve Grade final stanza was a thriller. Katikati laid down the challenge to the Mount Maunganui second eleven, batting first to post 242 all out. Matt Harrison, who has blasted over 800 runs this season, top scored with 79, with JS Dhillion in good form finishing with 61 runs to his name. Mount skipper Nick Smith took 4/24, backed up by Jonty Rhodes who grabbed two wickets.
The Mount top and middle order was removed relatively cheaply with Mount Maunganui in trouble at 120/6.
Enter Mike Douglas and Hayden Byrnes, who put together a match winning partnership, as Mount Maunganui got home with two wickets to spare. Douglas smashed 62 off just 52 deliveries with Byrnes posting a neat half century, before Toby Pudney chipped in with an unbeaten 16 runs to take his team to what had earlier seemed like an unlikely Western Bay title.
Grasshoppers had plenty to celebrate on Saturday evening after taking out the WBOPCA B Grade title. The Hoppers took first use of the batting strip at Ferguson Park against Malwa and reached 210/7. Hoppers stalwart Andy Balfour top scored with 62 not out with Matt O'Neill reaching 44 before being dismissed.
Malwa made a good attempt for victory, but were stopped in their tracks by Hoppers bowler Jeff Holmes who grabbed four wickets for just 24 runs. Malwa were removed for 161, with Gobi Pannu the best of the Malwa batting attack with a solid 44 runs. The Grasshoppers hero was Matt O'Neill, who took two outstanding catches at deep mid-off diving forward after he dropped a 'sitter” early on.
The two title deciders showed that grassroots cricket is indeed alive and well in the Western Bay of Plenty.
Seeya at the Game