Whanganui cricket umpire Scott Oliver gets opportunity to officiate at Hawke Cup level

Scott Oliver opens the batting for his new team Wanganui United back in his "average" playing days. Photo / File

Scott Oliver jokes it is a little embarrassing that "one of the most average cricketers in Whanganui" will be the first local to participate in the most elite minor association level game in many years.

Oliver, whose club cricket career included playing for Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens and Property Brokers United, has been chosen as the umpire for this weekend's Hawke Cup match between holders Pay Excellence Hawke's Bay and challengers Bay of Plenty.

He will join Manawatū's Tim Shirriffs as the men assigned to stand behind the stumps – it will be the first time Oliver has officiated a three-day game.

"It will be the longest one yet," Oliver said.

"I think the people up above make calls on these sorts of things."

A lawyer by profession and principal at Treadwell Gordon, Oliver completed his umpiring qualification in recent seasons, standing in the middle for Premier 1 club fixtures.

He said a restructuring of the NZ umpire panels, including a new one in Central Districts, opened up the door for him to possibly receive some NZ Cricket appointments for prominent games.

At the moment, 21 representative teams from the minor associations in New Zealand, including Riverview Motel Wanganui, are split into four zones, with the regular-season winner of each zone getting a chance to challenge the Hawke Cup holders.

Hawke's Bay hold the cup and therefore received a challenge from neighbours Subway Manawatū, who finished ahead of them in the Furlong Cup zone this season.

But Hawke's Bay retained the trophy via a win on the first innings last weekend.

The Wanganui team are also part of the six-team Furlong Cup zone but consistently finish in the lower half of the points table.

Bay of Plenty's challenge starts at 10.30am tomorrow at Napier's Nelson Park, and will continue until 6pm over the three days, weather dependent.

Coastal Challenge Cup

Wanganui Vet Services Marist and Property Brokers United hit the road in the third round of the Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over tournament tomorrow.

After all games were washed out last Saturday, leaving the points table in its current shape, fourth-placed Marist head to Donnelly Park to take on second-placed Levin Old Boys.

It's a battle of the one-time Coastal 50-over champions – Marist winning the title in 2018-19, while Levin claimed it the following season.

Wanting to make up for lost ground after losing to Marist on the opening day, United have a date with an old enemy – three-time champions Paraparaumu Medical Centre CC.

United's misery at making the Coastal Challenge final four times but never winning the title can be laid most directly at Paraparaumu's door after they claimed all their glory at the Whanganui side's expense.

Perhaps none hurt more than the 2020-21 final as United made 190, a better score than their previous playoffs, but it still just wasn't enough, as Paraparaumu reached 191 with their No 10 and No 11 batsmen at the crease.

The latest rematch will be at Kena Kena Park. All games start at noon.

Draw for February 12, Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over

Paraparaumu Medical Centre CC vs Property Brokers United
Levin Old Boys vs Wanganui Vet Services Marist
Burger King Red Star vs Weraroa CC
Kapiti Old Boys vs United CC

Tomorrow will see the finals of the Premier 2 Twenty20 competition.

After last weekend's games were washed out, the table remained the same – with Wanganui Renegades and Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens the top sides out of Pool 1.

The top teams out of Pool 2 are Hunterville Hackers and the Treadwell Gordon United 2nd XI.

The semifinals will start at 10.30am, with the final to follow in the afternoon.