The Tom Bruce trophy has found a home in the Black Cap Twenty20 international's former school as the Wanganui Collegiate Year 9s defeated their Francis Douglas Memorial counterparts by 18 runs on Sunday.
A Central Districts batsman based in New Plymouth, the 26-year-old Bruce is a former Collegiate 1st XI captain and Wanganui senior representative, who has lent his name to the trophy to be played in junior school fixtures.
"Bruce has played a number of games for the Black Caps and is looked on as a successor to Ross Taylor once the great man retires," said Wanganui cricket's Dilan Raj.
"The Bruce Family saw the importance of giving back at this age group and hence the Tom Bruce Trophy was initiated."
Losing the toss on their home pitch, Collegiate were put into bat and were dismissed for 125 in the 37th over.
While opener George Nilsson lost his stumps early, playing across the line, newly promoted Josh Allpress (20) partnered with Harvey Meyer (30) to settle the innings, using their feet to play the spinners.
Carter Hobbs (37), showed the confidence of a player who has been getting Tasman Tanning Premier 1 experience, although he ran through batting partners until Josh Brunger (14) joined him to make another partnership, before Collegiate lost a flurry of wickets to end the innings.
FDMC's best bowler was Keegan Boon with 3-13 from his eight overs.
In reply, FDMC lost early wickets as they struggled against Meyer (4-28) and the improving pace bowling of Brunger (1-16), while George Pearce (2-17) tightened the screws with his spinners.
At 65-8, the Taranaki school looked well out of it, until No10 batsman Luca Heyen (30 not out from 21 balls) hit out to bring his team within sight of the target.
However, Collegiate got his batting partners with a catch and a run out, ending the innings in the 32nd over.
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Meanwhile, the Wanganui Renegades have proved the masters of sudden death cricket after winning the 2017-18 Bullocks Premier 2 title with a comfortable victory over Wanganui Collegiate 2nd XI on Saturday.
Renegades were fourth qualifier for the semifinals with a 5-5 record, but upset top qualifier Wicket Warriors Whanganui by 38 runs in the semifinals and then repeated the dose against Collegiate, who were looking to emulate their 1st XI winning this Premier 2 title last summer.
Renegades raised 195 from their 40 overs, while in reply Collegiate lost six quick wickets and despite a 50 from Joseph Abernathy they finished well short.