NORMALLY, a fielding team gathering to watch the seventh batsmen leave the pitch with only 93 runs on the board would have cause for great optimism in the Porter Hire Premier 1 competition.
However, Wanganui Collegiate would have been under false pretence if they thought they were on top, as a rejigged Property Brokers United lineup had placed all their key men at numbers 8-11 in the order.
The veterans proceeded to peel off another 192 runs in 25 overs, to set up a 200-run hammering at the school grounds on Saturday.
Only Chris Sharrock at No4 was retained in his regular top order position as the United decided to give a few of their younger players and Premier 2 regulars a trot up the order, while their Namibian import Christi Viljoen was away training with the wider Central Districts squad.
As a result, only Matthew Boswell (33) made a noteworthy contribution, as Connor O'Leary (wicket and run out) and Sam Beard (4-59) had the spoils with five batsmen gone for single figures.
However, celebrations would be premature as still waiting to pad up were Robbie Power, Max Carroll, Brendon Walker and Gerrard Hobbs. Power (69 from 57 balls) and Carroll (62 from 67) immediately set about a 100-run partnership - Power the aggressor - as misfields and overthrows did little to help Collegiate's cause.
It is still a gamble to save your best for last, as any slight error in judgment means a wicket you cannot spare will fall.
But the biggest challenge Power and later Walker seemed to have was nailing an elusive six on Collegiate's long outfields, with a number of shots over the top just dropping, and stopping, short of the boundary rope.
Walker was in a fearsome mood and, even when Carroll went in the final over from Beard, he continued to find the fence and a wide snick to the rope off the final delivery raised his 53 from only 32 balls. The three "tailenders" hit 21 boundaries between them.
Facing another daunting total even after their strong start, Collegiate's youngsters folded their tent for 85, of which Matt Simes provided 32.
Power and Walker completed a good day with three wickets each, while Ritesh Verma came back from being dismissed just when he looked to get going to take 2-24 from seven overs, the most anyone from United had to bowl.
At Centennial Park in Marton, Bayer Marist stayed in the hunt with United for the 50-over crown with a relatively comfortable six-wicket win over Matt Burke Engineering Saracens.
Batting with 10 men, Saracens were dismissed for a still competitive 219. Dan Ford has been a beacon for the team with the bat this summer although at his heart he is still a slogger, as 43 from 33 deliveries suggests, and it needs someone from the top order to set a platform first, which could not be stalwart Dominic Rayner as he came in last due to a back injury.
Openers Scott Oliver and Bryant Galpin took a while to get going and ultimately did not kick on, while Hamish Harding (33) was the next top scorer, before Harry Everett and Liam McAleese dug in to get over the 200 threshold.
Perhaps in experimental mood themselves, Marist tried eight bowlers, with Ross Kinnerley (3-19) again the standout, while brother Fraser (1-27) was economical and John McIlraith was expensive but again grabbed scalps in doing so (3-33). It sets up the undefeated United and Marist meeting this Saturday at Tasman Tanning No1, with the winner likely to finish top of the table before the semifinals on March 3.
Saracens started well getting Jono Steward with the second ball of the innings, but partner Morgan Inness (77) carried his bat through big partnerships with Fraser Kinnerley (57) and Mark Fraser (54 not out off 44 balls) as Marist tidied it all up in the 36th over.
Marton giving away 18 wides and nine no balls did not help defend their just adequate total.