Coastal Challenge: United’s last-wicket escape keeps playoff hopes alive

Gerard Hobbs scored 50 not out in United's comeback win against Levin Old Boys.

Property Brokers United remains alive for a playoff spot in the Coastal Challenge after another one-wicket win from nowhere on Saturday.

Somehow, from 61-7 down, once again United’s tail lifted to score another 126 runs over then-second-placed Levin Old Boys at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park.

United initially did everything right with the ball, thanks to excellent pressure from their spinners Tom Lance (3-24) and Aidan Muir (4-18).

While Jamie Pinfold (35) got runs at the top, it was not until Bailey Te Tomo (26) was joined by Mathew Wilson (62 not out) that Levin began to work their way towards a defendable total.

Their 186 was looking more than enough as opening bowlers Alex O’Malley (3-22) and Dion Sanson (2-37) ran through the United top order once again, while spinner Ethan Money (2-25) also impressed.

Only youngster Ryan Meredith (17) made a start, but when seven wickets down, what it took was a veteran holding his ground – as Gerard Hobbs (50 not out) joined another teenager in Ethan Toy (20) and the pair started to find some gaps.

Then, for the second straight game, United’s No 10 Jacob Osborne (38) took on the fielders – hitting over the top with six boundaries in a fairly rapid 72-run partnership with Hobbs.

Now needing just 19 runs to win, Osborne was caught on the boundary, leaving last man Daniel Hussey to try to stay with Hobbs as Levin closed in.

Both teams were holding their breath on every delivery – Hobbs still taking singles and trusting Hussey to keep his nerve, which he did for 26 deliveries and five priceless runs.

With United now 184-9 entering the 45th over, Levin was holding multiple on-field conferences to try and figure out how to get the wicket, but Hobbs and Hussey kept cool with two pushed singles for yet another great escape.

They must now beat third-placed McAndrews Menswear Kāpiti Old Boys away to potentially leapfrog them into the semifinals.

Previously winless Whanganui Vet Services Marist earned some consolation with a big five-wicket run chase to end Topglass Weraroa’s season on their Domain.

Weraroa raised 318-9 off the back of an excellent anchor century from Blake de Burgh (110), as after joining skipper Keegan Maclachlan (50), de Burgh shared a massive partnership with Sean Finlayson (75).

Marist’s Connor O’Leary continued his strong campaign with 4-53, but now it was youngest brother Timothy O’Leary who was about to step into the spotlight.

The club has gone with an aggressive opening batsmen combination in Tim O’Leary and Nick Harding, and the pair went ballistic with 21 boundaries and 16 sixes between them.

When Harding (56) was finally caught off Maclachlan (3-84), O’Leary kept going and was seeing deliveries like a beach ball, smashing an incredible 148 from 80 balls.

The returning Tom Dempster (34) had no pressure to work himself into some form, and even when O’Leary was bowled approaching the end of the 20th over, Weraroa’s attack had been decimated at 244-2.

With just 75 more runs required, Mark Fraser (23), Connor O’Leary (18 not out) and Hadleigh O’Leary (21 not out) ticked them off to end the match by the 33rd over.

The other Coastal game saw Paraparumu get a seven-wicket upset victory over table leaders Open Mixed Hollings First Windows & Doors Red Star at Kena Kena Park.