Property Brokers United are now the sole Whanganui side in the Top 4 after the sixth round of the Bullocks Coastal Challenge Cup following a gritty 24 run win over St Johns Tech at Victoria Park on Saturday.
The victory, which was never assured right up until the final wicket on the No1 pitch, means United and Horowhenua Kapiti's best team Kapiti Old Boys are building a gap on the rest of a compacted chasing field at the head of the table.
Meanwhile, Marist and the Wanganui Collegiate 1st XI finally got off the mark with victories and it was in convincing fashion as well – both batting well over 300 in their innings to hammer Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens and Weraroa CC respectively.
The battle between Whanganui's top two teams saw fluctuating fortunes in the opening 25 overs, as United started well through Matthew Boswell and Tom Lance, until Lance was dismissed by a freak run out as Boswell's hard straight drive flicked Tech bowler Akhil Kumar's fingers and carried on into the stumps.
Greg Smith then entered on the heels of his Twenty20 century and was eager to prove a point against Tech's representative bowlers, including his fellow overseas classified player Akash Gill.
Smith hit four quick boundaries as United moved swiftly into the 80's, until Trent Hemi, buoyed by his own recall to the Treadwell Gordon Wanganui squad, bowled a pivotal spell.
Hemi took 4-49 as he got rid of Boswell (40), Smith (37) and then the veterans Gerard Hobbs and Brendon Walker in single digits to leave United struggling at 112-5.
The middle order held as Freddie Wilson (25) and Robbie Power (35) led their team through to the 170's, but after surviving Tech's other representative bowlers, they along with Chris Sharrock fell to the crafty Chris Friedel (3-32) when it was time to try and start winding up.
Stephen Holloway (13no) and Martin Pennefather (13) managed to carry the team from 177-8 to clearing the mental barrier of batting out their overs for a defendable score over 200.
In reply, Hemi (19) and Kashish Nauhria (23) started cautiously and ultimately too slowly, as Nauhria stayed there for 62 deliveries while Hemi, Kumar, Sam Roebuck and Gill all fell at the other end.
At representative level, Wanganui have been crying out for a viable spinner, and the other local club team's lack of them is showing when they face United as it was the unavailable Lance (3-23, two maidens) who chipped out the top order and choked their run rate.
Still, Tech bat deep and Ross Kinnerley (66) combined with Cameron Mackintosh (21) to put on 38 runs at a quicker pace, before Sharrock (2-37) and the other experienced spinner, Martin Pennefather (2-28), put United back in charge with their wickets.
There was still plenty of hope with Fraser Kinnerley and the Lock's – Dominic and Tyler – remaining to bat, but with overs running out and the run rate mounting, they fell to Sharrock, Pennefather and the returning pace bowler Ryan Slight, with Hobbs taking a good catch to dismiss Dominic Lock.
Across on No2 pitch, it seemed Marist were heading for a rough day when Craig Thorpe fell off the very first delivery from Josh Trillo.
Instead, Chris Stewart (99) and Zak O'Keeffe (94) proceeded to blast 186 runs in just over 22 overs, with both denied their centuries after dismissals by Freddy Lane (2-74).
Between them, Stewart and O'Keeffe hit 30 boundaries and three sixers.
Zander Engelbrecht (58) and Kent Darlington (39) continued on with the onslaught, and although Marton had a brief respite with three quick wickets when Marist was trying to hit it everywhere, the 300 had already been breached.
Michael Engelbrecht (21) carried on with Mark Fraser (34 not out) who along with fellow representative batsman John McIlraith had put themselves right down the bottom of the order, speaking volumes about a current Marton bowling attack where medium pacer Trillo (4-51) has to be the main weapon.
In reply, Marton gave a commendable crack at the unreachable 389 target, batting out to 279-9.
There were contributions throughout the order, while Marist took the opportunity to give nine players a trundle at the bowling crease with eight of them getting a wicket.
Jamie Simmons (61), Scott Oliver (53), Sam Lambert (44) and Andre Canderle (42) and Dominic Rayner (25) were the best in a team total that on any other day would have been impressive.
O'Keeffe (2-32) was the only Marist bowler to provide the full ten overs and was very conservative.
If Marist's innings was a surprise, then Collegiate really caught everyone's attention as the schoolboys headed down to the Wereroa Domain and put 325-6 on the home side.
After Sam Sheriff (13) and James Russell (35) made a watchful start, Matt Simes entered to stake his claim as the in-form batsman of the competition with his second century – scoring 123 from 113 balls to form the backbone of the innings.
Simes hit 17 boundaries and unlike in the Furlong Cup match his concentration did not waver.
Hadleigh O'Leary (45) was his support, and then Connor O'Leary (42 not out) carried on in rapid fashion from 31 balls, as did Beau Hourigan, who turned one over into 15 runs.
Unlike Marist, Collegiate allowed Wereroa no respectability on the scoreboard, cleaning them out for 112.
Not required to bat, a fresh Charlie Greatbath (5-13) tore into the host's top order and then cleaned up the tail, while Hadleigh O'Leary (3-18) closed out a fine allrounder's match.
Wade Anderson (25) tried to survive at the top of the order, while Paora O'Donnell (22) and Caleb O'Connell (22no) provided some late resistance in the tail, but from 78-7 the die was cast by then.
In the Horowhenua Kapiti derby game, Kapiti joined United with some breathing space on top after bowling Levin Old Boys out for 105 and making a canter of their seven wicket win in less than 20 overs.
Scoreboard
United 207-9 (M Boswell 40, G Smith 37, R Power 35, F Wilson 25; T Hemi 4-49, C Friedel 3-32) bt Tech 183 (R Kinnerley 66, K Nauhria 23, C Mackintosh 21; T Lance 3-23, M Pennefather 2-28, C Sharrock 2-37) by 24 runs.
Marist 388-9 (C Stewart 99, Z O'Keeffe 94, Z Engelbrecht 58, K Darlington 39, M Fraser 34no, M Englebrecht 21; J Trillo 4-51) bt Marton 279-9 (J Simmons 61, S Oliver 53, S Lambert 44, A Canderle 42, D Rayner 25; Z O'Keeffe 2-32) by 109 runs.
Collegiate 325 (M Simes 123, H O'Leary 45, C O'Leary 42, J Russell 35; H Kahu 2-59) bt Wereroa 112 (W Anderson 25, C O'Connell 22no, P O'Donnell 20; C Greatbatch 5-13, H O'Leary 3-18) by 213 runs.
Levin Old Boys 105 (K Monk 27; Z Benton 5-39, M Harrison 2-5, W Tharaka 2-22) lost to Kapiti Old Boys 108-3 (W Tharaka 31, M Harrison 30, J Miles 22no) by seven wickets.