Fletcher Coutts and his Onerahi Central team mates will be looking for a strong start to the two-day campaign and a T20 final win. Photo/John Stone
Fletcher Coutts and his Onerahi Central team mates will be looking for a strong start to the two-day campaign and a T20 final win. Photo/John Stone
Two T20 finals headline a weekend where the premier grade looks to depart from the short formats before Christmas.
Onerahi Central and Duracrete Products City will have to show an immediate ability to change mentality as they will go from the first day of a two-dayer on Saturday to clashingin the Northland T20 final on Sunday.
Onerahi have the wood on City in the T20 format, with their five-wicket win last weekend helping them to a perfect record in the round robin stage.
City, meanwhile, picked up four wins out of their five matches.
But for them and the rest of the premier grade, their focus shifts to the longer format after five weeks in the limited overs formats.
Onerahi start the Oxford Trust Two-Day Competition with a trip to face Westech Automotives Maungakaramea at Maungakaramea Domain.
Maungakaramea will be looking to continue on from their win over Kamo last week.
Kamo are also travelling as they face Kaipara Flats down at Bourne Dean. Both sides have struggled through the first five weeks of the Premier season, picking up just one win each in seven games.
The final match of the round sees Whangarei Boys' High First XI take on City at Kensington Park.
WBHS have been somewhat of a surprise package in the premier grade, taking two wins in the one-day competition, and will be hoping to continue that trend in the two-day competition.
Meanwhile, Bream Bay will take on Onerahi Central Reserves in the reserve grade T20 final on Sunday.
Bream Bay batsman Dean Gillingham is gearing up for a big weekend for the club as they are in the reserve grade T20 final. Photo/John Stone
Onerahi have the wood on their opposition, taking out the T20 match between the sides by 10 runs.
Bream Bay qualified for the final via a comprehensive 10-wicket semifinal win over WBHS Second XI, while Onerahi bowled out City for an 18-run win.
Before they meet however, they must negotiate a tricky round of 40-over cricket on Saturday.
Bream Bay face Kamo Reserves, who are unbeaten through the first two rounds of the competition. The match is at Kamo Recreation Ground.
Onerahi will face off against City, who will be looking for revenge after losing the T20 semifinal two weeks ago, at Kensington Park.
The other fixtures include the battle of the high schools with WBHS Second XI taking on Kamo High School First XI at Kensington Park, while Westech Automotive Maungakaramea take on Kerikeri at home.
