A slow damp pitch with little swing due to the cold despite the overcast conditions. This was more like cricket in April in England.
HG: 116-10 L Gillespie 28*. M Boonaert 9-3-11-3
P: 119-1 G Wiehahn 61*. M Holliday 26. Berry 5-0-28-1
Inserted by Captain Steve Lay, HG simply did not get to grips with the twin needs of keeping your wicket intact & scoring off loose balls. In fairness however, P's seamers bowled straight & with menace & all picked up wickets. Hollman 2-12, Boonaert 3-11, debutante Alex Modgill 1-15, Ian Lay 2-16, Jim Davies 1-21. Off spinner Joe Cannon also picking up a wicket.
HG's largest partnership of 29 for the 6th wicket & lead by Lee Gillespie was the best they put together - this despite some very mixed Pacific fielding. All told, P dropped 6 catches & later HG dropped 2 but P also held 3 extraordinary catches, Colin Pettet high to his right in the covers, Hollman, diving forward at mid wicket & Boonaert high to his right one handed at mid on which was still rising & heading towards the River Lea for 6. Joe Phelan looked like he could not believe it. Pick of the season already?
P's success in the field was matched by a century opening stand between Guy Wiehan & Matt Holiday. The former's shot selection was superb as he showed how to pull, hook, cut & late cut in style - ably supported by Matt Holliday's solid defence & straight driving. P's 3rd 10 wicket win seemed on the cards until Matt spooned a widish ball to Joe Phelan at extra cover but Jim Davies (11*) & Guy ensured there was no doubt as P romped home with 9 overs to spare but just minutes before what could have been the final shower to get the draw HG would not have deserved.
Pacific: G Wiehahn, M Holliday, J Davies, S Lay*, C Pettet, M Boonaert, P
Attwood+, A Modgill, J Cannon, I Lay, P Hollman.
