Mark Fraser scored 44 in Wanganui's first innings 242 against Manawatu at Victoria Park on Saturday. Photo/ Zaryd Wilson
It is the sort of result that comes perhaps only a few times a decade.
Active Physio Wanganui took first-innings honours in upsetting Manawatu in a two-day match at Victoria Park over the weekend.
Wanganui have stepped up a gear this season and have footed it with the top sides despite going largely unrewarded until yesterday.
It was this time last year when Manawatu dealt Wanganui and innings defeat in Palmerston North but twelve months on Wanganui is a team playing with a new-found confidence.
"It's not often Wanganui come up against the big boys (Manawatu, Taranaki and Hawkes Bay) and come up with a result."
Marr never achieved it in his playing days and said he was relishing the culture within the current Wanganui side.
Batting first on the Tasman Tanning no.1 pitch, Wanganui's top order all got starts and Greg Smith and Mark Fraser were looking comfortable in a 56-run partnership as they got Wanganui through to 96/2.
The dismissal of Smith for 18, however, sparked a middle order collapse as five wickets fell in the space of seven overs.
But like they have all season, Wanganui was able to bat deep and dig themselves out of a hole.
This time is was John McIlraith who came to the rescue guiding his side to a satisfactory first innings total of 242.
His run-a-ball 88 was helped by having debutant Thomas Walshe at the other end. Walshe played a mature and focussed support role for 22 as the pair added 99 for the eighth wicket.
When he fell, Ross Kinnerley stuck with McIlraith who was on track for a century. But McIlraith ended up trapped in front by standout Manawatu bowler Tim Richards who claimed five first innings scalps.
McIlraith's innings repaid the faith shown in him by Marr who'd brought him back after dropping him in the previous match rather than "flog a dead horse".
"I'm so happy for [McIlraith]. He really deserved 100 yesterday," Marr said. "The dead horse has arisen from the ashes."
In the context of Wanganui's middle order woes - 242 was good - but a total Manawatu would have expected to overhaul.
That was until a remarkable 30-minute period before tea on Saturday.
Wanganui's opening bowlers Ryan Slight and Ross Kinnerley worked in tandem to demolish Manawatu's top order in the space of 20 balls.
From and 20 run opening stand, Manawatu were reduced to 24/4 and limped to tea at 39/5.
At 100/9 midway through the final session Wanganui should have been batting again on day one and looking to take a substantial lead into day 2.
Instead, Manawatu's final pairing of Braden Rowe and Nick Blundell batted the next 16 overs to leave Manawatu trailing by 90 at stumps.
With light rain falling yesterday morning pair picked up where they left off eventually scoring 111 for the tenth wicket, testing the nerves of the Wanganui camp in the process.
But after holding out for 27 overs, Nick Harding finally found the edge of Rowe's bat, handing Wanganui first-innings honours and a 31-run lead.
Harding made an aggressive start to Wanganui's second turn at bat but fell early for 15. The home side made it through to 79/3 at lunch on day 2 before the rain came washing out most of the middle session.
A three-hour final session meant Manawatu still had a chance to make amends and push for an outright victory but Wanganui's second innings was even better than their first at 228/6 at the close of play.