Combined eight-team contest adds sharp edge

Local club cricket will have an added edge for the first part of summer, with the news Cricket Wanganui and Horowhenua Kapiti Cricket Association will combine their top eight teams for a 50-over league.

Starting tomorrow with the Porter Hire Wanganui teams - United vs Marist, Tech vs Marton - facing each other on the Tasman Tanning Victoria Park fields, they will also play inter-district games with Kapiti Old Boys, Weraroa, Levin Old Boys and Paraparaumu Cricket Club.

Development officer Dilan Raj said the Coastal Challenge Cup would run on the same format as the NZC Ford Trophy.

"Prize-money has been included as well as awards for MVP," Raj said.

The nine-week competition would be played in between representative Hawke Cup fixtures.

The semifinals of the competition, which include Cup and Plate, will be on January 23, and the finals day on February 23.

In addition, like last year, in November and early December the Wanganui clubs will have their own playoff series to find a winner to play the Taranaki 50-over club champions in the national zonal qualifiers.

After the Coastal Challenge Cup, the Wanganui club season will end with a four-week English-style league using the red ball, with the finals being over two days.