Cricket: Renegades unbeaten at top of pool in Premier 2 Twenty20

Libin Cherian top-scored for Wicket Warriors Whanganui with 39 runs. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Wanganui Renegades made it two from two to sit comfortably on top of Pool 1 after the second round of Premier 2 Twenty20 on Saturday.

At Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park, Renegades picked up a quick seven-wicket win against Wicket Warriors Whanganui, surpassing 118-8 with 120-3 by the end of the 15th over.

Opener Libin Cherian top scored for Warriors with 39, while Libin Varghese finished 22 not out.

Ryan Donaldson took 3-34 from his four overs.

In reply, Renegades' openers Josh Trillo (22) and Jack Donaldson (42) got the run chase off to a good start, which Adam Heap (26) and Matt Deighton (18no) carried on to wrap up the quick win.

The other Pool 1 game saw Kaitoke Knight Riders rebound from their first-up loss to pick up a four-wicket win over Wanganui United Thirds in a game that came down to the last ball.

United made a defendable 115-4 on the back of opener Sundeep Puli (34) and middle order batsman Daniel Oosthuizen (57).

Mafua Tongotea took 2-21 for Kaitoke, and then his side made it through to 116-6, scoring 10 runs off the final over.

Merrick Slade (33) batted through to the end of the 19th over, with Cameron Anderson (24) and Daniel Campbell (27) contributing, before Darren Whetton (8no) saw his team home in the last over.

Steve Meredith was the pick of the United bowlers with 2-11 from four overs.

In Pool 2, Treadwell Gordon United Second XI played their first game after the bye and got the win over Tech Old Boys, with club stalwart Joe Gray celebrating his birthday by making United's top score.

There will be a double round on Saturday, and then the last round on February 5 to find the two finalists.

Under-15s

Cricket Wanganui saw a lot of promising signs for the future from its Under-15 representative sides after two weeks of tournament play.

Coach Steve Meredith first took the Under-15 Development side to Hawke's Bay for an invitational tournament, where they finished with four wins and a tie from their five games.

Nick Burroughs scored runs in every game, helping his side to set defendable targets, then bowlers Harrison Richmond, Max Comrie and Josh Keenan took care of the rest.

The full Wanganui Under-15 side attended the Central Districts tournament in Levin last week, finishing fourth of the eight association sides with three wins and a tie from their five games.

Tim O'Leary was the side's MVP with bat and ball.

Connor Rees and Mickey Peacock were the pick of the batsmen, while the bowling contingent was led by Luke Bullock, Jimmy Lithgow and Ryan Meredith – who finished in the top five wicket-takers.

"From game to game, how they grew as cricketers – their bowling and their batting," Meredith said.

After five years' work with this playing group, Meredith said next season looked exciting for under-17 level, as there was now a larger pool of talent who would be fighting for positions in the top representative side.