Allrounder Connor O'Leary hit his first ton as Whanganui Vet Services Marist beat Paraparaumu but missed out on the semis.
For only the second time in the 11-season history of the Coastal Challenge Cup, there will not be a Whanganui club in the semi-finals.
The cruel irony is that in their last two games, sixth-placed Whanganui Vet Services Marist found the form that reflected their personnel, finishing their season by smashing third-placed Ray White Paraparaumu by nearly 190 runs on the Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park No 3 pitch.
But whereas Marist left their run too late, Property Brokers United – after their series of white-knuckle victories – could not carry their struggling top order through to another thrilling finish with tail-ender heroics.
Fifth-placed United fell to the battery of representative bowlers within defending champions McAndrews Menswear Kāpiti Old Boys, losing by 126 runs at Paraparaumu Domain.
It was an O’Leary family exhibition at Victoria Park as all four of Marist’s representative-level brothers, who were joined by cousin Ben O’Leary, made star turns to hammer the three-time Coastal Champions in Paraparaumu.
After Timothy O’Leary (42 from 32 balls) had Marist away to another flyer, the visiting bowlers – led by veteran Sean Windle (2-44) and Liam Rukuwai (2-53) – pulled them back with a series of wickets, reducing the hosts to 112-5.
Only Tom Dempster (40 from 57) held his ground in the top order before falling to Kamal Patel (3-69), but in an inspired decision Marist chose to send out two more brothers next in Hadleigh and Connor O’Leary, ahead of the usual ship-steadier Mark Fraser.
Known as a dogged No 10-11 batsman at representative level, Connor O’Leary has stepped up into genuine allrounder status for Marist this season, and with Hadleigh (77 from 84) seeing it well, the eldest brother launched with his maiden century at any level – smashing 112 from 84 balls.
Targeting the shorter boundaries, Connor spent virtually no time in the “nervous nineties”, as after hitting a six off a no-ball, he had no pressure for the next free-hit delivery and dropkicked another ball over the ropes to raise his bat – striking four boundaries and 11 sixes in total.
Paraparaumu managed to claw back some wickets in the last couple of overs but with 321-9 on the board, Marist had really thrown down the gauntlet.
Visiting skipper Kyle Tonks (37 from 20) initially had his team off for a game run chase. However, the fourth O’Leary brother took the spotlight as Shaun O’Leary (five wickets), assisted by Connor and spinner Hadleigh (2-6), ran through the top order – Paraparaumu’s last hope in the hard-swinging Windle caught out on a running catch by Dempster off Shaun.
Reducing their confirmed semi-finalist opponents to 123-8, Marist were even able to give one of their newer players, James Luxon, more time at the bowling crease, and he responded by getting two wickets. Shaun O’Leary then took off the top of the stumps of the last batsmen to earn his 5-for.
Marist beating Paraparaumu had potentially opened the door for United to get a home semi-final if they beat Kāpiti, but as they were nine wickets down for just 92 chasing 232 when the other match ended at Victoria Park, that became a moot point.
United gave themselves a semi-final chance by again putting on the pressure through their spinners and reducing Kāpiti to 180-8, given they had just chased down 186 against Levin Old Boys the previous weekend.
Daniel Browe (67 from 80) looked to anchor Kāpiti at the top of the innings, then skipper Jayden Rose-Miles (35 from 57) tried likewise, but an excellent opening spell from young United pace bowler Ethan Toy (3-41) was followed once again by the spin combination of Aidan Muir (3-49) and Tom Lance (2-45).
When talented allrounder Tristan Cloete (31 from 56) was trapped in front by Muir, Kāpiti looked to be in trouble, however another representative player, Carter Andrews (39 not out from 16), went on the attack and carried the last of his tail to another 51 priceless runs to give a bowling attack that he normally spearheads something to work with at 231.
Although Lance (19 from 24) made a positive start for United to work through the first seven overs with a reasonable run rate, the top order’s woes continued.
They had no answer to fast bowler Zack Benton (5-20), but somehow even when 74-7 down with no batsman having reached 20 runs, Kāpiti would have known they could not take their foot off the throat, given United’s habit this campaign of winning from impossible situations.
But there would be no lower order heroics this time, as Kāpiti’s own spinner Declan Prentice (3-29) and pace bowler Sacha Pickering (2-14) cleaned up the previously defiant tail in the 29th over for 105.
The result leaves a Top 4 where Wairarapa’s Hollings First Windows & Doors Red Star will try to win their first title after two seasons of lost home semifinals, Kāpiti Old Boys will be looking to go back-to-back, while Paraparaumu and Levin Old Boys will each try to win their fourth crown to become Coastal’s most successful club.
The semi-finalists have also been confirmed in the Jurgens Demolition P40 and P30 competitions.
The crucial fixture in P40 on Saturday was the Wicket Warriors Whanganui P2s against the defending champions Property Brokers United P2s, as both teams knew the loser was likely to surrender their semi-final spot, with fifth-placed Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI looking to finish strongly against the winless Combined High Schools P2s.
In the end, the Warriors won a tense match against United by three wickets, while Marist defeated Schools by 130 runs to leapfrog United into the playoffs.
Also on the outside looking in were the Hunterville Hackers, who finished their season in style by winning the Rangitikei derby with Matt Burke Engineering Saracens by 92 runs – Saracens keeping their home semi-final spot but now having lost three straight games.
For the five-team P30 competition, the semi-final qualifiers had already been confirmed and it was simply a matter of sorting out the final placings.
In just their second season, the Whanganui Wicket Warriors P3s have impressed, and they took top spot on the ladder from Property Brokers United P3s with a five-wicket win.
Courtesy of that result, they will take on defending champions the Richard’s Construction Marton Saracens in the semi-finals, after Saracens had to settle for fourth place following a three-wicket loss to the Kaitoke Knight Riders.