Skipper Chris Sharrock will want better innings than he achieved in Masterton. Photo / Bevan Conley.
It’s a trip back to the gates of glory that Cricket Whanganui’s two Premier 1 clubs have waited over a year for as the Coastal Challenge Cup semifinals get under way on Saturday.
Neither Property Brokers United nor Wanganui Vet Services Marist made the semifinals last year, both finishing three competition points shy of the fourth spot, meaning for the first time in seven seasons, there was no local representation.
Now, top qualifier United will host the side which came fourth in consecutive seasons, Weraroa CC, while Marist has the ominous task of heading south to play the defending champions Levin Old Boys.
This will be Weraroa’s third consecutive weekend playing at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park after back-to-back losses to United and Marist – just scraping into the playoffs by a solitary bonus point ahead of three-time champions and last season’s runner-up, Paraparaumu Medical Centre CC.
However, United are likewise not coming into the match off a victory, as with no points table pressure on them last weekend, they lost their undefeated tag with a heavy 112-run defeat in Masterton to Burger King Red Star.
Experienced all-rounders Brendon Walker, Gerard Hobbs and Tom Lance were among the senior players who did not travel, but it should be all hands to the pumps as United looks to qualify for their fifth Coastal final in eight seasons.
After previously making runs in the tournament, skipper Chris Sharrock, Simon Badger and Zeb Small will want better innings than they achieved in Masterton, while Greg Smith again made a solid score but will be looking for that big signature knock.
On home turf, the bowlers should continue their consistency, as along with Walker and Hobbs, Duane Maraki, Lovedeep Randhawa, Badger and Sharrock all collected scalps last week.
But Weraroa are by now plenty familiar with Victoria Park themselves and had both United and Marist in trouble in their recent games, but just couldn’t land the knockout blow with the ball in the first instance and the bat with the second.
Their danger-men are all-rounders Caleb Trask, Keegan Maclachlan and Prabodha Arthavidu Ellawala Liyanage, who had success in previous fixtures.
Skipper Blake de burgh, Locky Spring, Sean Finlayson and Jaedyn Dawson could also turn the match.
After taking five wickets for 15 runs to snatch third place from Weraroa last weekend, the semifinal in Levin will be something of a trip into the unknown for Marist.
They have not played Old Boys yet this summer, after their February 4 fixture was one of many abandoned by weather conditions.
However, what remains very clear is LOB’s pedigree – they are two-time and defending Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over champions, and won last summer’s inaugural Coastal Challenge Twenty20 title.
This summer they were unbeaten and leading the table right up until a surprise 56-run loss to the then-winless Paraparaumu on March 4, before taking the bye last weekend.
Nonetheless, one must respect a side with the depth of batting Levin possess through Bailey Te Tomo, Matt Good, Dion Sanson, Jamie Pinfold and Andrew Simpson, among others.
Levin are usually most successful when run-chasing – the likes of bowler Jesse Parker, who took 7-25 against Paraparaumu, Curtis Maclachlan, Daemon Kennett, Ryan Taylor and Sanson can contain sides to a middling score, then the batsmen do the rest.
Marist will need reinforcements, and it appears batting all-rounder Shaun O’Leary will make a welcome return back from Canterbury to join his brethren in Hadleigh and Connor O’Leary.
Nick Harding and Ross Kinnerley have been to these big games before – with Harding the first man to win the Coastal Challenge Cup with two clubs (Wanganui Tech in 2015 - 16 with Kinnerley, then Marist in 2018 - 19).
Ultimately, with LOB having so many batting weapons, Marist’s chances rest fairly on the shoulders of Mark Fraser, who has been in superb touch with the bat, including a vital anchor innings of 66 last weekend.
The semifinals start at 12pm on March 18.
Coastal Challenge Cup semifinals
Cricket Whanganui’s P240 competition has also reached the semifinals, and it will soon become apparent if the underdogs can hold their own against the two title favourites.
Fresh off winning the Combined T20 A Grade title last Sunday, Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens are in red-hot form – as evidenced last Saturday against Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI, when they actually declared their innings after 30 of the 40 overs, having slogged 275-4.
The Property Brokers United Colts, who are predominantly the Whanganui High School 1st XI, will have their work cut out for them.
Meanwhile, having lost the Twenty20 final to Marton, the Wanganui Renegades will not want to let another of their 2021-22 crowns slip away, but first they have to get past Wicket Warriors Whanganui, who they beat by 39 runs in the competition opener.
In P340, there will be one match between Wanganui Old Boys Tech and Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI.
The games start at 12.30pm on March 18.
Premier 2 semifinals
Premier 3
Kaitoke Knight Riders bt Hunterville Hackers by forfeit.