Property Brokers United will host the Coastal Challenge Cup final at Victoria Park this Saturday while champions St Johns Tech saw their hopes of repeat titles cast adrift during a waterlogged semifinal Saturday.
St Johns arrived at Donnelly Park in Levin to find whole sections of the outfield underwater afteran entire evening and early morning of rain, with hosts Paraparaumu quite happy to take the afternoon off as the abandoned match saw them through to the final due to being highest qualifier of the two teams.
Tech were slightly undermanned, but disappointed they did not even get the chance to try and pull off an upset for the second time in two summers to make the Cup final. Back at Victoria Park, the start on Tasman Tanning No1 was delayed by three hours before clearing weather saw United and Wereroa get into a 30-over match.
First blood went to the visitors as they reached the 15-over drinks break in good shape at 77-1 after Matthew Good (36 from 28 balls) got them away to a quick start and then Adam Simonsen (34) and Josh Dawson (24) were consolidating.
However, United had picked up from their pitch inspection that No1, a paceman's paradise over the December-January period, was now offering more than just a little bit of turn.
The spinners then took Wereroa apart as in three consecutive overs their top order batsmen were trapped for room and played either inside or outside the ball to lose their stumps.
United captain Tom Lance (4-17), along with Dylan Martin (1-27) pitched it up and Wereroa had no answer, as Dawson, Josh Shaw and Dave O'Brien all departed with castles broken and heads bowed for 85-4.
Paora O'Donnell (15) was lucky to survive after he was caught right on the boundary by Ritesh Verma, who fell back and had to release the ball trying in vain to stop the four.
O'Donnell was gone shortly afterwards went Greg Smith leapt to take a screamer over his head off Lance, and then the decisive blow was struck when Simonsen pushed at a Robbie Power (3-14) delivery, only to send it straight back to him for a good diving catch.
Lance and Power then cleaned up the tail with the highlights being a direct hit by Smith to run out Brett Cole, while Brendon Walker ran full tilt in the outfield to take a brilliant diving catch with his left hand to remove Aaron Billington.
Wereroa's 133 still represented an awkward total, especially with the prospect of more rain on the horizon and Duckworth-Lewis coming into play.
They were aggressive in the field and appealing for anything on the pads, as bowlers Huka Kahu and O'Donnell attacked Lance and opening partner Allistar Bostock from the outset - United slowly crawling to six runs in three overs.
There was some concern when Bostock was caught by Dawson off Simonsen, and while Smith entered and immediately got on the front foot with some well run twos in the damp outfield, United were rocked when Lance took a heavy blow to the knee pad off Caleb O'Connell and crashed down onto his own stumps.
Lance lay on the pitch for a few moments before limping off the park at 29-2 in the tenth over.
United skipper Tom Lance leaps to stop a delivery, he would take four wickets in the Wereroa innings but was injured when he fell on his wickets during United's successful run chase.
Verma, who had family commitments, came in early and struck a good four, before he holed out in the deep trying to hit the testy O'Brien (2-35) over the boundary, as Walker (15) then joined Smith to work the side through to 61-3 in 14 overs - behind the required run rate.
But Smith was still standing strong and seeing the ball well, and despite Walker falling to a catch off O'Brien, the Englishman began to find the fence with four boundaries and a six to raise a match-winning 56 not out at a run-a-ball.
With Simon Badger (23 not out) sticking with Smith, they picked up a big 11-run over in the context of the match off Brett Cole, and then Badger hit Simonsen to the fence at the end of the 25th over to keep Whanganui's hopes alive for another local champion in the combined competition.
30 overs: Wereroa 133 (M Good 36, A Simonsen 34, J Dawson 24, T Lance 4-17, R Power 3-14) lost to United 136-4 (G Smith 56no, S Badger 23no, D O'Brien 2-35) by six wickets.
Paraparaumu vs Tech abandoned due to wet weather. Paraparaumu advance to the final.
