When Canadian representative cricketer Akash Gill touched back down in Whanganui last week, he didn't come alone.
Ontario provincial Under 17 captain Akhil Kumar, aged 15, has joined Gill in the St Johns Tech team, and the reinforced side was able to pick up a victory over Property Brokers United in the second round of the Bullocks Twenty20 competition on Saturday at Victoria Park.
In the other Premier 1 matchup, Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens made it two from two with a 17-run win over Marist at Centennial Park.
Marton reached 156-6 on the back of a quickfire 100-run partnership between Josh Trillo (71) and Thomas Westwood (47), who collected 13 boundaries and four sixes between them.
Marist's Thomas Redpath came back well at the end to grab a couple of wickets including Westwood and finish with 3-23 from his four overs, while Michael Engelbrecht bowled Trillo and gave away only 20 runs from his complement.
In reply, Marist batted out to 139-5.
Sam O'Leary went in the opening over off Trillo, while batting partner Nick Harding scored 24 from 19 balls before falling to Robert Daines, with Dominic Rayner taking both catches.
An S Englebrette was unbeaten on 66 from 62 balls, while Zac O'Keeffe was run out for 13 and Kent Darlington made 18 but took 27 balls to do it - as Marton were able to slow Marist up in the final five overs.
Ballam Singh had figures of 2-29, while Trillo kept his four overs to a run-a-ball.
In the Premier 2 competition, the Wanganui Collegiate 1st XI also made it two from two with a comfortable 89 run win over Central ITM Marton Saracens 2nd XI at the school grounds.
There was a dramatic tie on the No3 pitch at Victoria Park as the Wicket Warriors were dismissed off the second-to-last ball of their game with the Wanganui Renegades, after having matched their first innings total of 115.
Results
Premier 1
St John's Tech bt United.
Marton 156-6 (J Trillo 71, T Westwood 47; T Redpath 3-23) bt Marist 139-5 (S Englebrette 66no, N Harding 24; B Singh 2-29) by 17 runs.
Premier 2
Collegiate 172-4 (H O'Leary 66, S Sheriff 65; P Galpin 2-54) bt Marton 2nd XI 83-8 (M Transom 26; J Clark 3-11, H O'Leary 2-12, S Sheriff 2-18) by 89 runs.
Renegades 115-9 (W Martin 33, M Deighton 28, A Heap 21; D Nellamkuzhiyil Sebastian 3-11, A Coelho 1-7) tied with Wicket Warriors 115 (S Sreekumar 56, B Jose 16; R Moore 3-15, A Heap 2-15, W Martin 2-16).