Whanganui cricket: Whanganui clubs host Horowhenua-Kapiti visitors as Coastal Challenge resumes for the season

Chris Sharrock gets the ball away in the Chapple Cup Twenty20 game last weekend. Photo / File

With Riverview Motel Wanganui's representative season completed, all eyes turn to the race for the Coastal Challenge Cup as the 50-over tournament resumes on Saturday.

After one completed round and two rainouts, Wanganui Vet Services Marist hosts the defending three-time champions and perennial favourites Paraparaumu Medical Centre CC at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park in the battle of first versus third.

Currently sitting outside the Top 4, Property Brokers United have some catching up to do as they take on Kapiti Old Boys.

There is likely to be some confidence throughout the two local club camps as their representative members were successful over the best Horowhenua Kapiti players in the Chapple Cup Twenty20 game last weekend – beating them by 30 runs.

United's Andrew Penn and Chris Sharrock enjoyed success with the bat, while fast bowler clubmate Harpreet Binning picked up his first wickets for Wanganui.

However, the previous rainouts being followed by a break for representative play means a number of United's regular Premier 1 club players have not had a lot of recent game time.

Kapiti Old Boys did not make a great start to the 50-over tournament, suffering a 134-run loss to Levin Old Boys on January 29. However they did win the inaugural Coastal Challenge two-day title earlier that month, and any team with the batting talent of Andre Halbert and the bowling ability of Carter Andrews must be respected.

Sam O'Brien, Dylan Reder and Nigel Harvey were among the runs in Paraparaumu's 176-run smashing of Weraroa CC in the opening round, while Caleb O'Connell cleaned up the wickets.

Opener Ajay Kumar and big-hitting bowling-allrounder Sean Windle can also cause plenty of headaches.

Marist's Hadleigh O'Leary got four wickets in the Horowhenua Kapiti rep game, while, after Penn, the best Wanganui batsman at the Chapple Cup was Mark Fraser, who will need to anchor Marist's innings on Saturday.

In the other games, Weraroa host Wairarapa's United CC at their Domain, while Burger King Red Star defends home turf in Masterton against Levin Old Boys.

All games start at 12pm.

Draw for February 26th, Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over

Property Brokers United vs Kapiti Old Boys

Wanganui Vet Services Marist vs Paraparaumu Medical Centre CC

Weraroa CC vs United CC

Burger King Red Star vs Levin Old Boys

Also back up and running towards the last championship of their season are the Premier 2s, as the P2 40 resumes on Saturday.

Having lost the final of the Rep Weekend Pro40 competition and semifinal of the P2 Twenty20 tournament, Treadwell Gordon United 2nd XI will be eager for a trophy this summer and currently sit undefeated on top of the rankings.

They take on Tech Old Boys in a crucial game of first versus second on the table.

Fresh from winning the Twenty20 title, third-placed Wanganui Renegades have ground to make up on the leaders if they plan to "do the double", facing Marist B on Saturday.

Wanganui United 3rds will face the Kaitoke Knight Riders, while Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens host Wicket Warriors Whanganui in Marton.