Dominic Rayner scored a half century for Marton.
Three into two spots still doesn’t go as the first official Saturday of summer saw the Premier 1 top sides pick up comfortable wins over the rest of the field.
Whanganui Collegiate still holds fate in their hands after picking up a very quick eight-wicket victory on the school’s No1 pitch to end Whanganui Renegades’ faint hope of making the Top 2 for the December 16 final.
Collegiate came into the round tied on points with leaders Property Brokers United and Wanganui Vet Services Marist, however, they have a game in hand as they will finally play their anticipated 1st XI schools match with Whanganui High this Wednesday.
They bowled an understrength Renegades out for 93 in the 29th over, with only Ryan Balsley (20) able to muster a fighting innings.
All six bowlers got wickets, the pick of them being Tim O’Leary (3-9), Luke Bullock (2-12) and George Ormsby (2-20).
O’Leary then went on the attack - smashing 69 not out from 27 balls - as Collegiate reached 95-2 by the start of the ninth over.
He stroked nine boundaries and two sixes in the assault.
Meanwhile, on the school’s No2 field, United did all they could to set up back-to-back championships, after a 94-run victory over WHS.
The schoolboys were missing two of their better bowlers and batsmen, with coach Steve Meredith setting a goal of batting at least 40 of the 45 overs, and restricting United to less than six-an-over.
They succeeded on the latter point and were just shy on the former – United batting first and raising 251-7.
While WHS managed to remove United’s in-form batsman Matthew Boswell (17) relatively early to make his 238-run average for the tournament a little more realistic, his Riverview Motel Whanganui partner Daniel Burgess (91) stepped up to be the anchor for his team.
Playing on grass with a slightly slow outfield, Burgess would have to graft, only striking four boundaries, while the big-hitting Brendon Walker (53) looked to remove the outfield from the equation – hitting three sixes as well as three boundaries.
WHS took wickets through the middle order, the pick of their bowlers being Regan McCrae (3-38) and Aiden Muir (2-38), but another Whanganui incumbent in James Woodford (38 not out) came in for an important lower order cameo - hitting five boundaries and a six.
In reply, WHS gave a good effort, but were ultimately dismissed for 157 after 38 overs.
Logan Symes (45) stood strong at the top of the order, eventually finding support from the other leading hope in Campbell McKerras (69).
However, both of them were caught up with and the rest of the order folded in the face of probing bowling by United’s veterans.
The exception was a dig in the lower order by Jackson Bellis (17), but the rest were dismissed in single figures, with the United bowlers sharing the spoils.
Best of them were Karl Brenner (2-19), Martin Pennefather (2-32) and completing a good day personally was Woodford (2-25).
United’s comfortable victory would not have pleased Marist down at Centennial Park, despite picking up a relatively quick seven-wicket win over home side Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens.
Missing a couple of their regular representative players, Marist still had a strong bowling attack with four of them having spent the last fortnight playing in Marton.
Saracens were bowled out for 125 in the 38th over, with only Dominic Rayner (51 from 65 balls) holding firm in the top order, while Brett Cunningham (13) was the only one to stay with him and Bryant Galpin (12 not out) was the one Marist couldn’t get.
Ross Kinnerley bowled Rayner to end hopes of a competitive total, while fellow representative bowlers Fraser Kinnerley (3-26) and Connor O’Leary (2-21) got the rest of the top and middle order, before Joel Clark (2-14) cleaned up the tail.
Knowing they needed to get the runs quickly in their last game, in order to improve their chances of making the final, Marist’s Zak O’Keefe (18 from 18) looked to get on with it, although Cunningham claimed his stumps as part of eight economical overs.
However, Clark (60 from 61) carried on, finally getting to raise his bat after three straight innings in Marton, and while he fell with only six runs left to win, fellow representative batsman Mark Fraser (38 not out from 52) swiftly saw his side home in the 23rd over.
There were a couple of games played in the Premier 2 Twenty20 competition and the Hunterville Hackers were able to make great strides up the points table.
Receiving a default victory over Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI, the Hackers won their Rangitikei derby with Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens T20 to move up to second place.
Whanganui is also being represented at the National Men’s Under 19 tournament that got under way at Lincoln Oval on Saturday.
Collegiate allrounder and Whanganui Furlong Cup squad member Oscar Mabin was in the Central Districts squad which opened their tournament with a 23-run loss to home side Canterbury on Saturday.
Mabin took 1-48 from his nine overs as Canterbury raised an imposing 301-9, and then made 14 from nine balls in the middle order as Central Districts were dismissed for 278 with seven deliveries remaining.
On Sunday, Central Districts suffered a heavy nine wicket loss to Wellington.
Bowled out for 150, with Mabin the second-highest scorer, making 22 from 41 balls, CD could not prevent Wellington from reaching their total in only 20 overs, with Mabin having 18 runs taken from his two overs.
Games resume on Tuesday.
Scoreboards, December 2
Premier 1
Wanganui Renegades 93 ( Balsley 20; T O’Leary 3-9, Luke Bullock 2-12, George Ormsby 2-20) lost to Whanganui Collegiate 95-2 (T O’Leary 69no) by eight wickets.
Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens 125 (D Rayner 51; F Kinnerley 3-26, J Clark 2-14, C O’Leary 2-21) lost to Wanganui Vet Services Marist 126-3 (J Clark 60, M Fraser 38no) by seven wickets.
Property Brokers United 251-7 (D Burgess 91, B Walker 53, J Woodford 38; R McCrae 3-38, A Muir 2-38) beat Whanganui High School 1st XI 157 (C McKerras 69, L Symes 45; K Brenner 2-19, J Woodford 2-25, M Pennefather 2-32) by 94 runs.
Premier 2
Hunterville Hackers bt Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI by forfeit.
Hunterville Hackers 105-5 bt Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens T20 101-9 (scoreboard unavailable).