Whanganui representative teams line up for summer

The Whanganui Year 9-10 Girls team at the Central Districts festival tournament in Palmerston North last week. Photo / Supplied

As Cricket Whanganui’s adult players down tools for the Christmas break, it is time to review the efforts of Whanganui’s next tier of playing talent, as the junior representative programmes have been busy in the first half of summer.

December is traditionally tournament month across Central Districts, and the Year 9-10 (under 15) girls travelled over to Palmerston North for their festival tournament, playing six games in three days.

At their first tournament at this level in several years, Whanganui finished with a creditable 3-3 record against Taranaki, Manawatū and CD Invitational XI.

Playing Twenty20 games with 8-9 wickets at Ongley Park, Whanganui began with a two-wicket loss to Taranaki, as Libby Hobbs scored 40 at opener, but 125-4 was not enough, as Taranaki reached 129-6 with four balls to spare, despite Hobbs taking 2-12.

They rebounded with a big 41-run win over Manawatū, as Poppy Priddle’s 50 not out led Whanganui to 138-6, and then the bowlers restricted the home side to 97-6, as Chloe Neilson took 3-11 while Isla Jones finished with 2-12.

At Manawaroa Park, Whanganui lost by four wickets to CD Invitational, as after making 108-2, with Isabella Parkes 30 not out and Jones 52 not out retired, they couldn’t prevent the run chase reaching 110-5, despite Charlotte True taking 2-10.

Back at Ongley, Whanganui got a six-wicket payback win over Taranaki, who reached 117-6 with bowler Priddle taking 3-7 before she then scored 50 not out retired as her team raced to 118-3 in the 14th over.

The good form continued as the team made it two wins over Manawatū, who reached 104-4 as Whanganui’s Leaf Higgie took 2-8 plus a run-out, and then her side reached 105-4 in the 18th over, with Hobbs making 24.

However, the CD Invitational team remained too strong, as despite Whanganui reaching 130-2, Jones 50 not out retired, Invitational got the winning run off the last delivery, losing only one wicket along the way.

Also from December 12-14, the Year 11-12 Whanganui boys’ team were in Napier for their Central Districts tournament.

The side had actually played their first tournament match on November 12 against Taranaki at Francis Douglas Memorial College, losing by 10 wickets.

They had two other warm-up matches away against Horowhenua Kapiti and Manawatū, with the home sides claiming those fixtures.

Then at Nelson Park in Napier, the side met Nelson first up, with Jimmy Lithgow (3-39) and Nick Burroughs (2-25) the main wicket takers, while Tim O’Leary (51), Rory Nugent O’Leary (28) and Lithgow (28) were the best batsmen in the 98 run loss.

Whanganui then faced Marlborough for a seven-wicket loss, as they reached 152 on the back of a defiant lower order 55 from Harry Burroughs, next best being Ryan Meredith (21), before the South Island team got to 156-3 in the 29th over.

They wrapped up their tournament against Wairarapa, losing by 126 runs.

Lithgow (3-34), O’Leary (3-46), Nugent-O’Leary (2-1) and Charlie Mabin (2-33) shared all the wickets in Wairarapa’s 221, but the side was bowled out for 95, which included a big final wicket stand between Mabin (32 not out) and Lithgow (22).

However, this was a young Whanganui side with only one school leaver among them, so the group will be better for the experience next summer.

Whanganui hosted a big tournament of its own starting on Sunday with the Central Districts Year 11-13 girls’ competition.

Playing on the Collegiate school grounds, five provinces competed in one day and Twenty20 formats, and Wairarapa emerged as the top side, finishing unbeaten, ahead of Manawatū (3-1), Hawke’s Bay (2-2), Nelson (1-3), and Taranaki (0-4).

Wairarapa’s standout and current CD Hinds squad member Emma McLeod was the Player of the Tournament, compiling a sublime 105 not out in the final match of the tournament to finish with 280 runs at an average of 140.

The Sunday evening of the tournament also saw a very well received New Zealand Cricket Female Athlete Health Workshop, focused on nutrition and recovery, reducing the risk for injury/illness and tips to avoid athlete burnout.

Cricket Whanganui general manager Pete Bowman said the success of this tournament is great for Whanganui and could be the springboard to hosting other significant tournaments in future seasons.

Whanganui’s other junior representative teams played a host of non-tournament matches across October and November, with results provided below.

Further results, Junior Representative

Jurgens Demolition Whanganui Year 9-1 boys

Manawatū 138 (E Toy 3-19, S Dadic 3-18, T McMurray 2-6) bt Whanganui 68 by 70 runs.

Whanganui 169-8 (E Toy 35, H Cranstone 28, W Revel 21no) bt Wairarapa 160-8 (T McMurray 4-28, A Whiteman 3-13) by nine runs.

Whanganui 167 (T Pike 33, E Toy 31, J Belliss 23) lost to Wairarapa 168-8 (J Marshall 2-9) by two wickets.

Jurgens Demolition Whanganui Year 8 boys’ pathways

Whanganui 241-6 (H Kennedy 50 ret, R McIntyre 50 ret, Y Kusano-Whetton 40no, F Amon 33) bt Wairarapa 190 (R McIntyre 2-11, H Lithgow 2-16, B McGregor 2-23) by 51 runs.

Taranaki Black 87-7 (W Kui 3-13, R McIntyre 2-10) lost to Whanganui 90-4 (H Lithgow 31, F Whisker 28 ret) by six wickets.

Jurgens Demolition Year 7 boys’ pathways

Whanganui 85-8 (J Keenan 27no, R Symes 20) lost to Taranaki Amber 86-4 by six wickets.

Whanganui 59 (H Smith 21no) lost to Taranaki Amber 60-2 by eight wickets.

Wairarapa 129 (H McDonald 2-10, A Whiteman 2-11) bt Whangnaui 124 (F Bowman 23, J Keenan 20) by five runs.

Whanganui Year 7 Boys Development

Horowhenua-Kāpiti 205-6 bt Whanganui 140-5 (H Kusano-Whetton 27) by 65 runs.