Cricket: United and Marist meet in Cricket Whanganui’s Premier 1 final on Saturday

Veteran Chris Sharrock will look to make a sizeable contribution for United. Photo / NZME

The first Cricket Whanganui championship of the 2022-23 summer - the new-look Premier 1 competition - will be decided between the traditional rivals on Saturday.

The 45-over competition brought together top clubs Wanganui Vet Services Marist and Property Brokers United with Whanganui Collegiate’s 1st XI, returning to the top grade, and newcomers Wanganui Renegades, the regular Premier 2 champions.

While weather had an impact over the three Saturdays of games, the cricket was competitive throughout – with only Marist unbeaten, while United, Collegiate and Renegades each took a victory.

United join Marist in the final by virtue of sharing the points for their weather-abandoned match on November 19, making this the first meeting between the sides this season.

They will meet again in the new year when the inter-district Coastal Challenge Cup gets under way, but both sides will be eager to claim early bragging rights by lifting the first Cricket Whanganui Premier 1 crown contested in this format in a number of seasons.

Last summer, when the Coastal Challenge Cup was played in three distinct tournaments, Marist had a clean sweep of victories over United.

They hung on by just one run in the Coastal Challenge T20 competition in October 2021, followed by a first-innings points victory in the two-day tournament in November, then claimed a comfortable seven-wicket win in January’s 50-over tournament.

Marist is likely to have a strong lineup, reinforced by the recent return home of batting all-rounder Shaun O’Leary, joining several members of his extended family.

Recovering from a bout of Covid, strike bowler Ross Kinnerley will also likely figure back into the mix after missing the last two weekends of Riverview Motel Whanganui representative games.

Batsman Mark Fraser was in solid form in those matches, with top scores of 56, 48 and 80.

For United, it appeared representative captain Greg Smith was starting to find his own form last weekend in Hawke’s Bay, being dismissed right when he was getting going.

United’s young representative batsmen – Sam Roebuck, Carter Hobbs and Daniel Burgess – will want to make a sizeable contribution alongside veterans Tom Lance, Brendon Walker and Chris Sharrock.

The final will be at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park, starting at 12.30pm.

After a couple of weekends of the Combined Twenty20 competition, the P240 grade resumes action with matches at Victoria Park and the Collegiate grounds.

Teams are looking to qualify for Premier 2 Division 1 after New Year’s, where the best sides will be joined by automatic qualifiers Renegades, while the remaining teams make up Premier 2 Division 2.

Games start at 12.30pm.

December 17 draw

Premier 1

Grand Final: Wanganui Vet Services Marist vs Property Brokers Wanganui United

P240

Pool 1

Property Brokers Wanganui United 2nd XI vs Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens

Kaitoke Knight Riders vs Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI

Bye: Whanganui Collegiate School 2nd XI

Pool 2

Property Brokers Wanganui United Colts vs Wicket Warriors Whanganui

Wanganui Old Boys-Tech vs Property Brokers Wanganui United P3