Domestic cricket: Whanganui teams face must-win run in Coastal Challenge

Tom Lance was the only United batter to hit double figures.

Both Whanganui teams in the Coastal Challenge have entered must-win mode for their remaining games as Open Mixed Hollings First Windows & Doors Red Star made it back-to-back victories over the local teams on Saturday.

After Red Star defeated Whanganui Vet Services Marist in Masterton the previous weekend, they followed up with a very quick nine-wicket win over Property Brokers United on Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park’s No 1 pitch.

Choosing to bat first, poor shot selections did not help United’s cause, as other than veteran Tom Lance (17 from 22 balls) making a start, the rest of the line-up were all dismissed in single figures to be all out for just 54 in the 25th over.

Wairarapa representative bowler Ethan Childs, whose six-for against Jurgens Demolition Whanganui kept them from an outright win in December’s knife-edge Furlong Cup game, finished with figures of 4-6 with four maidens from his seven overs.

Patrick Wootton took 2-3 from his three overs, while three other Red Star bowlers grabbed a scalp.

The visitors then went out to prove there were certainly no “gremlins” in the pitch, as they rocketed to 58-1 in just the seventh over to get on the road for home early.

Only Robbie Speers (18 from 12) lost his wicket to Lance, before Quinn Childs (23 not out from 22) and Samuel Payne quickly wrapped up the chase.

In the last Coastal weekend of Horowhenua-Kāpiti derby games, Topglass Weraroa rebounded from their poor start to pick up a surprise 114-run win over Levin Old Boys at Donnelly Park.

At Paraparaumu Domain, defending champions McAndrews Menswear Kāpiti Old Boys held down second place on the table behind Red Star after a 39-run win over Ray White Paraparaumu.

This coming Saturday, United head to Weraroa Domain to face the home side, while Marist host Levin Old Boys at Victoria Park.

Premier 2 & 3

The Jurgens Demolition Premier 2 40-over and Premier 3 30-over competitions are rapidly approaching the business end of the season.

It proved a big weekend for the Wicket Warriors Whanganui club, as their P2 team picked up a six-wicket win over Property Brokers United P2 at Victoria Park, while the P3 side defeated their division’s points-table leader, the Kaitoke Knight Riders, by four wickets at Springvale Park.

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens remained unbeaten in P2 after a four-wicket win over Combined Schools P2, while the Whanganui Renegades hold second place after an impressive 83-run win over Whanganui Vet Services Marist Second XI.

That means that below Saracens and Renegades, there are four teams fighting it out for the last two semi-final spots.

The other P3 game on Saturday saw Property Brokers United P3 avoiding their club being “swept” for the weekend by beating Combined Schools P3 by 47 runs at Springvale Park.