Whanganui High School stuns Collegiate in premier club cricket

It has been the better part of a decade since the last 1st XI match between the schools, and four years since the last 1st XV game.

While Charlie Meredith will miss out on representative cricket at the weekend, the pace bowler got to be part of one of Whanganui High School sport’s great days as WHS 1st XI upset Whanganui Collegiate 1st XI by five runs in their rescheduled Premier 1, 45-over clash on Wednesday on a green No 3 pitch at Collegiate.

To put this in perspective, of the two traditional seasonal school sports – cricket and rugby - it has been the better part of a decade since the last 1st XI match between the local schools, and four years since the last 1st XV game.

The rivalry had not been competitive before those times either, and with Collegiate having a 7-1 record in matches played leading up to the clash, including being unbeaten in Premier 1, they were heavy favourites.

Losing the toss, WHS managed to bat into the final over to raise 180, with contributions through the lineup from Logan Symes (30), Nick Burroughs (28), Harry Burroughs (20) and Ryan Meredith (25).

Collegiate’s Harry McVerry (4-35) ripped through WHS’s lower order, while Angus Pearce and Connor Rees (both 2-29) dismissed a number of the set batsmen in the top order.

In reply, Collegiate only needed to make 40-odd runs to qualify for the Premier 1 final ahead of Wanganui Vet Services Marist on net run rate, even if they lost.

Doubtless, that outcome was not being considered, until Charlie Meredith (3-20) and Reagan McRae attacked the stumps in a ferocious opening spell to reduce Collegiate to 14-3.

Rees (56) then led the recovery, initially with Pearce (15) and then Theo Tripe, who just defended for 39 deliveries as Rees did the bulk of the scoring in their 55-run partnership.

But Meredith came back to claim Tripe’s stumps and then pin Collegiate down until he had completed his nine overs - the home side now needing 73 runs off 72 balls.

In a dramatic finish, Collegiate lost Rees to Harry Burroughs (2-35), while Logan Brown (28 not out) stuck in with Jimmy Lithgow (16 from 18 balls), who tried to hit his side home until being run out with four balls left at 168-8.

The bowler, McRae, kept his cool, denying Brown and Angus Allpress any boundaries until they ultimately needed a six to tie the game off the last ball, but could only manage a single.

The upset is a massive shot in the arm for cricket at WHS, while the 1st XI will wrap up their inaugural Premier 1 campaign against Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens on Saturday.

Saturday will also be the next round of the Premier 2 Twenty20 with six games scheduled.

Follow results and draws for the tournaments at

https://www.playhq.com/new-zealand-cricket/org/cricket-whanganui/summer-202324/f02163af

Result for December 6

Premier 1, Round 3 catch-up

Whanganui High School 1st XI 180 (L Symes 30, N Burroughs 28, R Meredith 25, H Burroughs 20; H McVerry 4-35, A Pearce 2-29, C Rees 2-29) bt Whanganui Collegiate 1st XI 175-8 (C Rees 56, L Brown 28no, J Lithgow 16; C Meredith 3-20, H Burroughs 2-35) by five runs.