30 Nov 2012

Rain has meant only two Soffe rounds  out of four, have been played so far.  Round Five of Soffe Cup has rain forecast again, with Sandford Manaia at home taking on bottom placed Central Finance Rotokare; Icon's Sport Tariki Pukekura at home, have Farmlands Okaiawa; while Hareb Deken Oakura travel to tranquil Huatoki Domain taking on AWE Huatoki. 

Manaia's women should have little problems with Nicole Koch and Maree Gopperth likely to make short work of Wanganui Rep Karen Cranston and young  Frances Gray respectively.  Grace Kelly should get past an improving Juliet Farquhar while Trudy Vince should be too fit  for Helena Goodin.  Manaia's top order men, No.1 Jordan Fleming and Cameron Koch will have too much firepower for Rotokare's Malcolm Elder and Kyle Crowley, and should win both singles and the doubles.  At 3and 4, Manaia's Michael Gates and young Beauden Fleming will be under intense pressure from Rotokare's Greg Hareb and Shane Devlin, and the Rotokare pair could surprise with a win.  Manaia should get enough wins in the combines for a comfortable win. 

Oakura's No.1, Graeme Mitchell is injured and may not take the court with Craig Waite the likely No.1 replacement. With a further line-up, of Charlie Lewis, Len Adamson and young Cory Sutherland, its unlikely that the Huatoki men's side of Amrit Rai, Andrew Sangster, Alastair Nairn and Thomas Burrell will lose any games.  In the women's lineup, Huatoki's young guns, Alice Caskey, Sophie Robertson and Hikaru Han at 4, should prevail over Miaana Walden, Jackie Keenan and Rebecca Scott. The battle of the 3's will see Oakura's Chris Davies take on wily Chris Wilson, with Wilson to win.  Huatoki are favoured to dominate the doubles and combines. 

Okaiawa will be hoping they get at least one game this weekend, but with Pukekura at near full strength, it will be a matter of 'where'?  Okaiawa is without 3 of their regular women; attending a wedding or with work commitments.  Callum Old at No.1 and Mike Fleming at 2 should easily account for Okaiawa's Andrew Powell and Mark Laurence without raising too much sweat, while Chris Jury will have his hands full but should prevail over in-form Vincent Baylis.  At 4, Jamie Simpson's lethal lefty serve will have Okaiawa's Ryan Stockman scrambling.  In the women's, fresh from her successful senior rep debut last weekend, Pukekura's  No.1, Louise Waite, will have a walk in the park, up against Jaimee Baylis, while the balance of women's matches should go Pukekura's way, with Kirsten Adam, Donna Thorne  and Jeanette Harding  all having the edge over Soffe debutants Lauren Fraine, Laurel Stockman and Emmah Ussher.  Pukekura should dominate the doubles and combines.