Canterbury Country lost their Hawke Cup Challenge to Hawke’s by an innings and 100 runs against the holders at Nelson Park in Napier.
The visitors were put into bat and could only muster 155 in their first innings. At one stage they were 51 for six before Mark Laffey (39) and Jeremy Winchester 43) combined for a 94 run partnership for the seventh wicket to give the scorecard some respectability.
The wickets were shared around the Hawke’s Bay attack with Brad Patton snaring three for 13 from five overs with Jeremy Kuru and Kieran Noema-Barnett taking two apiece.
In contrast Hawke’s Bay managed a formidable 457 which was highlighted by a fine 118 from James de Terte. He faced 118 balls and carved 18 boundaries in his patient innings.
Also among the runs was Marc Calkin who struck and aggressive 51 with Crain Finlay falling nine runs short of triple figures. James Kuru, batting at 10, hit an entertaining unbeaten 50 off 49 at the end of the innings to set the challengers a near impossible task.
Sam Langrope toiled hard for the challengers and was rewarded with figures of five for 98.
The Canterbury Country second innings scorecard had a similar look to the first with a few starts and a number of low scored as they were rolled for 202 – 100 runs behind.
Captain Patton again starred with the ball taking five for 49 to go with his three in the first innings.
