Cricket Whanganui: Marist take on Red Star in Coastal Challenge Cup round

Mark Fraser will be back in action for Marist this weekend. Photo / Bevan Conley

Wanganui Vet Services Marist know wins on the road in the Coastal Challenge Cup can have a big bearing on the make-up of the top four, so they need to make the most of their game in Masterton on Saturday.

After their opening derby game with Property Brokers United was rained out last weekend, Marist take on Wairarapa’s sole Coastal team, Burger King Red Star, at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Although Marist made last season’s semifinals, whereas Red Star finished sixth with only one victory, the Whanganui club should not underestimate the home side.

Of the Post Office Hotel Wairarapa representative team which took part in last weekend’s first innings defeat to Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay in the final Furlong Cup match, the prominent Red Star players included Robbie Anderson, Jeremy Anderson, Mark Steventon, Ethan Childs and Quinn Childs.

For Marist, veteran batsman Mark Fraser, who missed Riverview Motel Whanganui’s last Furlong game, is back on deck, while the side contains four O’Learys - Connor, Shaun, Hadleigh and Sam.

In the other Coastal matches, the Horowhenua-Kāpiti derby games continue as Levin Old Boys and Kāpiti Old Boys look to build on their victorious starts when they meet at Paraparaumu Domain.

Paraparaumu and Weraroa CC will look to rebound from their opening day defeats when they square off at Kena Kena Park.

Games start at 11am.

Premier 2 and 3

Cricket Whanganui’s Premier 2 40-over and Premier 3 30-over competitions start on Saturday.

Premier 2 consists of defending champions Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens, runners-up Wicket Warriors Whanganui, new Premier 2 Twenty20 champions Whanganui High School, Whanganui Renegades, Property Brokers United P2s and the Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI.

Cricket Whanganui general manager Pete Bowman said the Premier 3 competition would provide an opportunity for younger players to enter, and veteran players to remain in, competitive senior cricket.

“The P3 competition is a half-step back from P2, and we hope it will be a good feeder league for our younger players to commence their senior cricket and our older players to continue to have a good crack.”

There are five squads - Wanganui Vet Services Marist second XI, Kaitoke Knight Riders, and P3 teams from Marton Saracens, Whanganui High and Collegiate.

Games start at 12.30pm.

Draws for January 27

Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over

Burger King Red Star v Wanganui Vet Services Marist

Kāpiti Old Boys v Levin Old Boys

Roofbox Paraparaumu v Weraroa CC

Bye: Property Brokers United

P240

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens v Wicket Warriors Whanganui

Whanganui Renegades v Property Brokers United P2s

Whanganui Collegiate second XI v Whanganui High School first XI

P330

Kaitoke Knight Riders v Wanganui Vet Services Marist second XI

Whanganui High School P3 v Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens P3

Bye: Whanganui Collegiate P3.