Taranaki will stay positive against ManawatuANDY JACKSON/Fairfax NZ Woodleigh's Phil Barraclough has been recalled into the Taranaki side to face Manawatu. Taranaki will head into their final Hawke Cup qualifying cricket match with a positive outlook despite them needing a serious upset across the other side of the North Island to earn a challenge. Their last up narrow first innings loss to Hawke's Bay a fortnight ago has left them two points behind that side as they prepare to face Manawatu on Saturday and Sunday at Pukekura Park. "You never know what can happen in cricket," Taranaki coach Debu Banik said in reference to Hawke's Bay hosting perennial under achievers Wairarapapa in Napier. Manawatu have hardly been the force of yesteryear this season, as evidenced by their first innings loss to an improving Wanganui last start.

Source: Stuff January 27, 2017 00:02 UTC