VICTORY MARCH: Carter Hobbs, the top scorer, steps through the victory tunnel formed by Wanganui U11 teammates Oscar McVerry and Blake Hoskins (left) and Zane Munn and Daniel Taylor.PHOTO/SUPPLIED
VICTORY MARCH: Carter Hobbs, the top scorer, steps through the victory tunnel formed by Wanganui U11 teammates Oscar McVerry and Blake Hoskins (left) and Zane Munn and Daniel Taylor.PHOTO/SUPPLIED
WATSONS Wanganui under-11 cricket team prevailed in a tight finish to beat a Wellington Hutt junior team by five runs in Levin at the weekend.
Winning the toss, Wanganui elected to bat first and after two quick wickets the ship was steadied by Shaun O'Leary and Oscar McVerry.
When O'Learywas dismissed for 16, Carter Hobbs carried on with McVerry to face mandatory retirement. Hobbs made 32 and McVerry 31. Angus Wallace then stepped up as fast runs were required and hit 28, while wickets fell around him. Wanganui ended the innings with a competitive score of 188/8 off 35 overs.
Hutt made a slow start with the bat thanks to an excellent opening spell from Andrew Dickson. Wickets were hard to come by with a few of the boys picking up a wicket each. Blake Hoskins was the pick with two well-timed wickets. Hutt needed 30 runs off the last three overs, which was always going to be tough. They got close and after Sean O'Leary bowled an excellent second-to-last over for just four runs it was left to Dickson finished it off for a five-run victory. "We struggle for fixtures against other Central Districts associations who do not run an under-11 programme, so we have had to look further afield for opposition," Dilan Raj, from Cricket Wanganui, said.
"We will be looking at fixtures against Northern Districts and Wellington Districts sides next season to bolster the under-11 and under-12 fixtures and build on the existing programme."
