Photo: Photosport
Hawke's Bay extended their Hawke Cup tenure with a hard fought win over Zone 1 Challenger Counties Manukau - teeing up a big rematch with their next challenger, Canterbury Country.
Hawke's Bay's current tenure began at the start of the season by lifting cricket's century-old silverware from Canterbury Country, in a Zone 2 Challenge Match.
Dusting themselves off from that outright loss, Canterbury Country went away and won the right to challenge for Zone 3 again this season, by defeating Nelson in the Zone 3 Final, and will now head to Napier for a rematch with Hawke's Bay in a fortnight.
Meanwhile, Hawke's Bay has now seen off Challenges from both Manawatū (Zone 2) and Counties Manukau on the first innings.
The Zone 1 Challenge turned into a nerve-jangling battle for both sides this weekend, Counties Manukau ultimately falling just 59 runs short of taking the Cup away from Hawke's Bay.
Central Stags representative Brett Johnson was the star performer for the hosts, achieving career bests with both bat and ball for his province.
The leg-spinning allrounder had top-scored at seven in Hawke's Bay's first innings total of 315 with an unbeaten 73*, then backed up with a bag of 6/86 to help control Counties Manukau's feisty reply.
Counties Manukau bowler Reid Somani also took a career best haul in the first innings of (5/65)
The challengers were all out for 256 just before tea on the final afternoon, and the match continued into the last session with Hawke's Bay smacking 92/0 off 14 overs in their second innings.
Youngster Toby Findlay hit an unbeaten 57* off just 32 balls.