This is a match that will be long remembered in North Otago sporting folk lore, when the North Otago cricket team, representing the second smallest district in the county, pulled of a stunning upset and took possession of the Hawke Cup. At the start of the representative season North Otago had lost the services of long time Otago squad member Craig Smith who had transferred to Southland due to work commitments. Despite the loss the team was looking stronger than it had been in previous seasons boosted by the addition of new ball bowler David Simpson and Dunedin players Sean Eathorne and Darren Broom. The team had a new captain, Englishman Chris Smith. The new additions complemented the balance of experience from veterans Duncan Drew, Scott Simpson, Paul Odell and David Sewell. It also had the youthful mix of talented school players Ben Cant and Jordan Horrell making the side. In previous seasons the North Otago team to make a challenge had to win its zone consisting of home and away matches against Southland and Otago Country. Once a winner of the zone was found it would then play the winner of the Canterbury zone with the winner challenging for the Hawke Cup. During the off-season of 2009 the zones were changed with South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury joining the southern zone along with North Otago, Otago Country and Southland. There would still be four matches played in a round robin format with the winner of the zone earning the right to direct challenge for the Hawke Cup. North Otago started strongly in its Hawke Cup campaign taking first innings points in Ashburton against Mid Canterbury after the home side had scored 272 in it's first innings. Sean Eathorne, who during the whole series of zone matches was in outstanding form with the bat, scored 158 not out, Chris Smith scored 42. Two weeks later the team reached its nadir, when after dismissing Otago Country for 191 at Molyneux Park, they crashed to be 37 all out. A better performance following on still did not save them from an innings defeat losing by an innings and 4 runs. It was a month before their next match and after much soul searching put in a far better performance defeating Southland by 8 wickets. Ben Cant was the star with the ball taking his first five wicket bag at Hawke Cup level with 5-11 in Southland's first innings. In its final match, North Otago made 344 in its first innings after being put in to bat. Sean Eathorne notching up his second century with 121, while Glynn Cameron scored his first Hawke Cup half-century. Their partnership of 118 for the seventh wicket. Cant backed his effort from the previous match taking 6-30 helping his side enforce the follow on. South Canterbury however proved to be difficult to dismiss a second time and the match result in a draw with North Otago taking first innings competition points. North Otago was top of the table but second placed Otago Country needed just first innings points in its remaining two matches to overtake North Otago. It was a nervous wait for the next couple of weeks as Otago Country played its last two games of the zone series. The first match was a comprehensive loss on first innings and the second in an exciting high scoring run chase Otago Country falling just 7 runs short. North Otago now had the opportunity to challenge The twelve players that travelled up to Palmerston North were:~
Members of the squad who did not travel:~ Daniel Conlan (Union), Sean Conlan (St Kevin's), Jamie Ferris (Albion), Brent O'Connor (Albion), Tim O'Malley (St Kevin's) and Jeremiah Shields (Union). Current holders of the Hawke Cup were Manawatu, who had beaten Hawkes Bay to obtain the Cup, and had successfully defended it against Bay of Plenty and Marlborough. Against Bay of Plenty they had scored 659 runs with New Zealand player Jamie How scoring 224 in a comprehensive innings and 284 run victory. How wasn't available for the match against North Otago but the home side still presented a formidable challenge. Written-off in some circles, there was a quiet confidence amongst the team as they travelled north to meet the holders Manawatu at Palmerston North. Amongst the 14 who made the trip north, along with the twelve players and manager Peter Cartwright, Scott Cameron was there as assistant manager and provided the North Otago website with daily reports along with photo's on the match. They are reproduced below. First Day Report The first days play in the 4th Hawke Cup Challenge by the North Otago Cricket Team ended with both teams not claiming a major advantage over the other. After winning the toss and electing to bat, North Otago struggled against the accurate Manawatu bowling. Finding themselves 30-4, Scott Simpson and Duncan Drew combined for a good partnership of 50 before the loss of Simpson(30) then the loss of Glynn Cameron (0), saw themselves again struggling at 80-6 at lunch. The tail order managed to move the total to 110, batting around Drew but when number 11 batsman David Sewell walked to the crease the total was only 116-9 and the holders right on top on a good batting wicket. Sewell and Drew then played intelligently scoring singles with ease and punishing the bad ball. When Drew was caught behind for a superb 102, he and Sewell had scored 91 runs together breaking the 10th wicket rep partnership. Sewell played a great innings and finished on 37 not out. North Otago all out for 207, a total that looked to be sub-par on a good batting wicket. Needing quick wickets, Sewell immediately responded taking the first wicket leg before wicket. North Otago soon had them two down with first change bowler, Darren Broom taking the second wicket, caught out by Glynn Cameron. Needing another wicket before stumps were drawn, all-rounder Ben Cant took the third wicket of the innings another lbw. When stumps were drawn Manawatu were 61-3, leaving the game still evenly poised.
Second Day Report North Otago find themselves in a strong position after the completion of the second days play in the Hawke Cup Challenge. They lead by 184 runs with 7 wickets in hand and led after the first innings by 46 runs. Starting the day Manawatu moved the total to 99 before the loss of the first wicket of the day, Cant taking the important wicket of Sandbrook for 38. This started a collapse that saw the home side lose 5 wickets for the addition of only 12 runs, and the score at 111/8 still 96 behind the North Otago total. North Otago was forced to work hard for the 9th wicket before captain Chris Smith bought himself on to bowl and broke the partnership, 142/9. The final wicket combined for 17 runs before it was taken, Manawatu all out for 159, North Otago taking the all important first innings lead. Looking to occupy the crease Smith and Ben Cant took their team safely through to tea, with Smith dominating the scoring, being 32 not out and Cant 8 not out, North Otago 42/0. Soon after tea however Smith was bowled for 32, and then Sean Eathorne was caught behind for 4. Cant and Darren Broom then combined for a good partnership of 56 before the loss of Cant who was providing an anchor role. This bought in first innings century maker Duncan Drew and the pair safely moved their side to stumps, being 138/3 a 186 run lead. Broom bought up his first half century for North Otago and was 58 not out while Drew was 12 not out. With North Otago gaining first innings, the final days play looks to be an exciting day with Manawatu looking to get North Otago out cheaply for the chance to gain an outright win, while North Otago will be aiming to bat the home out of the game.
Final Day Report In what must go down as one of the greatest days of North Otago sports, the North Otago Cricket team won the Hawke Cup for the first time in 99 years and four challenges. After being 138/3 overnight, Darren Broom looked to move the total scoring his runs quickly. Drew and Broom moved the total to 177 before the wicket of Drew was lost for 18 to the bowling of Templeman. This started a collapse that saw the away team lose their last 6 wickets for only 92 runs. Broom was the main contributor of the innings top scoring with a timely 133, his first century in North Otago colours. This left Manawatu 58 over's to score 311 runs to retain the cup. Manawatu looked to score quickly but with wickets constantly falling found it difficult to chase the required total. Veteran David Sewell, playing in his second challenge, was threatening with the ball taking three of the first four wickets to leave the home side struggling on 64-4. North Otago looked good in the field with Broom, fielding on the boundary, threw the ball over the wickets to take the other wicket through a run out. Short was the next to go run out from a direct hit from captain Chris Smith, 88-5. This brought in Ian Sandbrook who played a good innings of 21 before he was out lbw to Simpson, 133-7. The tail collapsed with the required run rate escalating to over 7 an over and it was left to captain Chris Smith to take the final three wickets. Manawatu all out for 151, a win to North Otago by 159 runs.
Two days after the match Ian Sandbrook, who played against North Otago sent through an congratulatory email. He said that "It's a great achievement for such a small association and something you can be incredibly proud of. The team played out of their skins and conducted themselves superbly throughout the weekend. Although we were gutted to lose the trophy after such a great season for us, we were simply beaten by a better team on the day and your win was thoroughly deserved. I wish the team all the best defending the trophy and I know you will keep the proud traditions of the Hawke Cup alive and well in Oamaru!" For weeks after the match the North Otago team was the talk of Otago. The team was greeted by the mayor outside the Council Chambers when the team bus arrived in Oamaru and articles were published in many newspapers throughout New Zealand on what the side had accomplished. The side would in May win the Aotea Electric Team of the Year at the Otago Sports Awards, a first for a North Otago sports team. |
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Hawke Cup - 4th Challenge Round
North Otago vs Manawatu at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North
North Otago 207 ( D.J. Drew 102, D.G. Sewell 37no, S.A. Simpson 29, B.Templeman 6-56, J. Lash 3-42 ) & 262 ( D.J. Broom 133, C.A. Smith 32, B.C. Cant 28, D.J. Drew 18, J. Cunningham 5-99, B. Templeman 2-57 )
Manawatu 159 ( I.P. Sandbrook 38, D.T. Meiring 22, B Templeman 20, W.D. Murrie 18, J Lash 15no, M.R. Short 11, J.A. McGregor 11, B.C. Cant 3-29, D.G. Sewell 3-50 ) & 151 ( M.R. Short 27, W.D. Murrie 26, I.P. Sandbrook 21, R Badenhorst 19, D.T. Meiring 14, J Cunningham 12, C.A. Smith 3-23, D.G. Sewell 3-31, D.W. Simpson 2-68 )
North Otago won by 159 runs
Full scorecard for the match