Chapple cup review

Nelson Disappointing                                                        

The Nelson Pine Griffins cricket team failed to bring home any silverware in the Chapple Cup cricket tournament played in Napier from Friday to Sunday. While there were some very good individual performances, the overall team results would have to be classified as disappointing.

A loss in the opening day against Wairarapa relegated Nelson to the bottom tiered Cave Cup division and from there a further defeat to Marlborough denied them of gaining any modicum of respectability from the weekend.  In the matches that counted, their batting was not able to fully take advantage od some nice statistics.  Patrick Howes hit an aggressive fifty against Wairarapa on Friday and backed it up by walloping a very big hundred against the hapless Wanganui on Saturday.  Opener Tom Ingham gave Nelson flying starts in each of their innings, but when it counted these starts were not really capitalised on. Most notably the Zohrab boys and Devon Serrurier displayed fortitude but the consistency throughout the order was lacking.  In big games like these, it is important that everybody is willing to put their hands up to take charge.  This did not happen as too often wickets fell when big partnerships were required.

In contrast, Wairarapa was able to put together a massive opening partnership and a solid second wicket stand to take the game away from Nelson on Friday.  Wanganui was never really in the same class as Nelson on Saturday as Howes clubbed 15 fours and seven sixes in his 97-ball knock. Sam Baxendine was the pick of the bowlers with a four for and a three for, but he was unable to withstand the battering from Forrester and Child on Friday.  Thomas Zohrab backed up his half-century against Marlborough with five wickets but like with the batting, others were not able to come to the party with the ball when it mattered. 

Nelson begins their Hawke Cup season in just two weekends time and coach Ryan Edwards will need to do some soul searching between now and then if it is to be a successful campaign.

RESULTS:

Nelson Pine Griffins          231     Patrick Howes 57, David Zohrab 45*, Devon Serrurie42,

Tom Ingham 35, J. Watt 2/36, Q. Childs 2/37, E. Childs 2/60

Wairarapa                           232/2     J. Forrester 107, M. Childs 80, L. Burly 28*

Wairarapa won by 8 wickets

Nelson Pine Griffins       358/8     Patrick Howes 143, Tom Ingham 59, David Zohrab 46, Joe O’Connor 40 L, Sharrock 4/64, A. Gill 2/75

Wanganui                           227         D. Lock 49, R. Kinnerley 42, A. Gill 37, C. Sharrock 30, B. Kelt 26,

                                                                Sam Baxendine 4/32, David Zohrab 2/42

Nelson Pine Griffins won by 131 runs

NELSON, NEW ZEALAND – Newman Shield – Nelson Griffins v Marlborough. Saxton Oval, Richmond, New Zealand. Sunday 4 November 2018. (Photo by Chris Symes/Shuttersport Limited)