Cricket: Whanganui run out of time in Furlong Cup first innings loss to Wairarapa

Connor O’Leary has taken 11 wickets in three Furlong Cup innings.

A rare chance for back-to-back victories in the Furlong Cup slipped through Riverview Motel Whanganui’s fingers as Post Office Motel Wairarapa continued their undefeated streak at Queen Elizabeth Park on Sunday.

On a seam-bowling pitch on Saturday, Whanganui bowled out Wairarapa for 176 but were then dismissed 23 runs shy of first-innings points on Sunday morning.

Although Whanganui’s bowlers then tried to get early wickets in the hope of quickly dismissing the home side, Wairarapa’s middle order held firm until the rain set in by mid-afternoon, bringing an early end to play.

Whanganui started the second day nine wickets down with the hope that veteran Mark Fraser (53) could carry last man James Woodford to secure the remaining 30 runs to get the lead but, after Fraser hit his fifth boundary and raised his half-century, Ethan Childs (4-32) had him caught out to put his side in pole position.

Childs and former Whanganui-based footballer Jake Jonas (3-10) stepped up in the absence of former Black Cap Seth Rance from the bowling crease. Rance, 36, was playing as a batsman while recovering from a shoulder injury.

Whanganui had their own issues as Central Districts Stags batsman Ben Smith arrived in Masterton with a stomach bug and could not play in the first session.

Smith came out to bat at No 8 later in the day, scoring 25 as he and Fraser looked to rescue Whanganui from 89-6.

They put on a 51-run partnership and seemed likely to carry Whanganui past Wairarapa’s total until Jonas let loose in a devastating spell to follow up from his decisive anchor innings of 82 earlier in the day.

After Smith was dismissed to a weary shot and debutant Fred McVerry also fell to Jonas, it was nearly 6.30pm so Whanganui assumed their next man – bowling allrounder Fraser Kinnerley – could start fresh with Fraser in the morning.

Instead, the umpires cited over-rate rules and informed them that five more overs were required, which surprised both sides.

Kinnerley fell to Jonas and, although last man Woodford survived, Whanganui had to chase 30-odd runs with one wicket instead of two the next morning.

Jonas, hitting 10 boundaries and two sixes, held firm with the bat on Saturday after Connor O’Leary (3-72) and Kinnerley (2-29) ripped through the rest of the top order.

Spinner Woodford (2-29) eventually broke up a couple of partnerships, while third seamer Shaun O’Leary (3-15) cleaned up the tail.

Whanganui openers Daniel Burgess (13) and Joel Clark (29) started well enough but an upper and middle order collapse and a run-out reduced Whanganui to 75-5.

In the third innings, Connor O’Leary (3-42) again had the hosts in trouble at 29-3 before skipper Robbie Anderson (24) got help from Quinn Childs (34) to dig in.

Woodford (2-11) dismissed both but Whanganui could not exert the same pressure at the other end, as Vorster (16no) and Rance (17no) batted their side to safety.

The side missed the injured Ross Kinnerley although O’Leary, having now taken 11 wickets in three Furlong Cup innings, is to be commended.

The Whanganui team will play their final Furlong game against Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay after the holiday break, by which time injured skipper Greg Smith should be fully recovered.

Other Cricket Whanganui results

Premier 1

Whanganui High School 1st XI 239 (L Hoekstra 68, C Meredith 57, C McKerras 27; W Turner 3-24, O McVerry 3-40, T Westwood 2-58) bt Marton Engineering Marton Saracens 72 (B Galpin 12no; C Meredith 4-25, R McRae 2-27) by 167 runs.

Premier 2 Twenty20

Wanganui Old Boys-Tech 104 (J Healy 35, Q Mailman 26; M Slade 3-16, M Tongotea 3-22) bt Kaitoke Knight Riders 82-8 (N McKay 18; B Luoni 3-17, J Lawson 2-10, A Tipper 2-16) by 22 runs.

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens T20 127-5 (J Hayward 53, S Edwards 36; S Puli 2-20) lost to Property Brokers United P2 132-7 (M Pennefather 36, J Gray 26, K Bremer 23no; M Lithgow 3-23, F Cairncross 2-21) by three wickets.

Hunterville Hackers 122-9 (S Burroughs 33, J Wilson 23; L Cherian 2-1, S Tom 2-15, S Nair 2-20, R Hari 2-30) bt Wicket Warriors Whanganui 121-6 (A Coelho 35, L Cherian 24; S Burroughs 3-10, Chris Wilton 2-19) by one run.

Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI 133-7 (J Lithgow 27, A Pearce 25, A Allpress 23no, J Keenan 22; G Singh 5-21) lost to Wanganui Renegades 135-5 (N Sherborne 68, W Martin 49; R Nugent-O’Leary 2-21, J Lithgow 2-24) by five wickets.

Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI 117-9 (J Baldwin 39, Z O’Keefe 39; G Singh 3-14, R Balsley 3-19) lost to Wanganui Renegades 118-4 (W Martin 29no, H Carver 24no; R Tofa 3-36) by six wickets.