Tech injury hit ahead of match

BIG BLOW: Tech will have their fingers crossed that allrounder Nick Harding overcomes a knee injury to play the final on Waitangi Monday.PHOTO/FILE

St Johns Tech will try to make two extra days without cricket work for them to get their walking wounded up to scratch for the grand final of the inaugural Coastal Challenge Cup against Levin Old Boys on Monday.

Due to the Horowhenua-Kapiti team playing in the national club championships today, the final was moved to Waitangi Monday with a 12pm start at Donnelly Park in Levin.

It may prove a blessing for Tech after their key opening batsman and bowler Nick Harding suffered a knee injury after being hit there while getting in some batting practice on Thursday.

"He stopped training after that, couldn't really walk," said captain Dominic Lock.

"But he'll play no matter what.

"Definitely [helps], having a few more days," Lock said.

An absent Harding could seriously weaken the pace attack as Tech has relied on him and Ross Kinnerley to top order wickets.

Meanwhile, Caleb Greene is also not 100 per cent from his injury in Tech's semifinal win over Weraroa CC two weeks ago, and may just play as a batsman, with Tech losinghis services as first change bowler.

Their women's representative cricket Jessica Watkin will be away, with Kane Watkin coming into the team, while veteran batsman Bevan Hunter will be on standby for either Harding or Greene.

The other games for the last weekend of the competition today will see Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens and Ali Arc Marist playoff for fifth and sixth at Centennial Park in Marton.

Property Brokers United will host Kapiti Old Boys at Victoria Park on Tasman Tanning No1 in the highly unusual position of trying to avoid the wooden spoon.

The beaten semifinalists Weraroa and Paraparaumu CC will play at the Weraroa Domain for third and fourth.

The Tech team is likely to be

Dominic Lock (c), Calum Coker, Kane Watkin, Ross Kinnerley, Tyler Lock, Peter Czerwonka, Tim Czerwonka, Devon Purvis, Chris Friedel, Bevan Hunter, Nick Harding (maybe), Caleb Greene (maybe).