Taranaki has etched itself into more Hawke Cup history, defeating a stacked Canterbury Country team on the first innings in a touch-and-go finish that could have gone either way.

Zone 3 Challenger Canterbury Country came to New Plymouth with five first-class representatives in its playing XI, including Canterbury and BLACKCAPS representative Henry Shipley, and ex-Canterbury, now Lancashire county pro Will Williams.

Taranaki was hoping to hold on to the Hawke Cup for a second successive defence, in a rare tenure for the CD District Association.

Williams and Shipley ultimately took six wickets between them after Canterbury Country sent Taranaki in on the first morning at Pukekura Park (Friday), but middle order grit from Rupert Young (59), Liam Muggeridge (47) and Trent McGrath (83), topped off by an invaluable 37 from number 10 batter Ben Frewin, saw Taranaki post a defendable 316.

That proved just enough, on a dramatic final afternoon (today, Sunday) as Ryan Watson took Canterbury Country's final first innings wicket - when the Challenger, nine down, had needed just a six to overtake Taranaki's first innings score to steal away the silverware.

Canterbury Country number 10 batter Raunaq (Ronnie) Kapur was so close to being his team's hero, swinging hard for a fearless fifty to get the Challenger so close.

Kapur had come in at 229/8 late in the middle session, when Canterbury Country needed a further 88 runs to overtake Taranaki's total with just the two wickets in hand. The tall tailender quickly made it apparent that his preferred method was to swing hard and put the ball over the boundary, picking off six sixes as well as two boundaries in his knock of 52.

His 82-run ninth-wicket stand with Williams (41) got the Challengers close, Canterbury Country 311/8 at tea - effectively chasing 317 for the Cup. Kapur had just carved both of spinner Liam Carr's last two balls for six.

But Williams was caught off Ben Frewin in the first over after the break, bringing last man Callum Cameron to the middle, for no further addition. The new pairing would survive just a further three overs, without a single run being scored.

Kapur was doing his best to slam one more six to claim the Cup. Cameron had narrowly survived Frewin's over; now Kapur, on 52*, was facing senior paceman Ryan Watson in the 133rd over of the innings. 

For a heart-in-the-mouth few seconds after the first ball of the over, the fate of the Hawke Cup was literally up in the air as Kapur miscued, skying a difficult caught and bowled opportunity - Watson having to scramble backwards, and spilling the ball as he hit the dirt.

Surely that was it, the last chance for Taranaki? Kapur lashed at the next delivery but was stopped cleanly in the field. The third delivery was stopped just as quickly at short leg, still no addition to the score. 

Kapur let Watson's bouncer fly past him next, then carved Watson's fifth delivery straight back past his head.

If that ball had made it over the rope, the Hawke Cup would have winging its way to Rangiora. Instead, Taranaki captain Sam Fastier took the catch that triggered jubilant scenes en masse from the Taranaki players, while a disconsolate Kapur ripped off his gloves and threw them on the ground, having been just inches from tailender glory.

Taranaki will now host the Zone 4 Hawke Challenge from South Canterbury, the last Challenge match of the 2024/25 summer, from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 March, at Pukekura Park.

SCORECARD

HAWKE CUP

2024/25

Zone 2 Challenge Match

31 January-2 February 2025

Holder Hawke's Bay lost to Zone 2 Challenger Taranaki on the first innings 

At Nelson Park, Napier

Zone 1 Challenge Match

14-16 February 2025

Holder Taranaki defeated Zone 1 Challenger Hamilton on the first innings

At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Zone 3 Challenge Match

7-9 March 2025

Holder Taranaki defeated Zone 3 Challenger Canterbury Country 

on the first innings

(by 5 runs)

At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Zone 4 Challenge Match

21-23 March 2025

Holder Taranaki v Zone 4 Qualifier South Canterbury

At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth

Article added: Sunday 9 March 2025