Watkin shines as WHS end season in fine style

It's not been the easiest season for Wanganui High School cricket but they have a Central Districts title on their mantle to finish out the summer.

The boys' team won both their T20 competition matches in Palmerston North on Thursday, thumping Horowhenua College by nine wickets that morning and hanging on for a narrow three-wicket win in the final against Dannevirke High School.

The bowlers shared the spoils as Horowhenua were bowled out for 107 inside their 20 overs.

WHS's openers then did the task as Josh Roebuck (50 not out) and Andrew Mackintosh (44) got them through by the 12th over.

It was not so smooth sailing in the final, as Dannevirke reached 115-8 from their innings.

WHS would have to wait till the 19th over and the fall of seven wickets before they overtook the target, with the best efforts being Caleb Green (31) and 22 not out from standout representative player Jessica Watkin, who takes the field for both the boys' and girls' school teams.

WHS coach Andrew Lock said T20 Gillette Cup had been more of a Central Districts association initiative, so they will have to see if they can organise games with the T20 winners from the other associations for the end of next year.

Watkin had already had a great week as the WHS's girls' team beat New Plymouth Girls' High School by 69 runs in Wanganui on Wednesday. The 14-year-old hit out with 74 of the 114 total in the T20 match.

NPGHS was bowled out for 79.

Playing at the higher level, Wanganui Collegiate did not enjoy quite the same success at the full Gillette Cup's Central Districts regional zone finals in Palmerston North on Monday and Tuesday.

Collegiate made 175-9 first up against Lindisfarne College from Hawke's Bay, who ran down that total for the loss of five wickets.

Having missed a spot in the final to qualify for December's nationals, Collegiate gained some consolation with a comprehensive victory over Masterton's Rathkeale College for Boys in the playoff for third/fourth.