Whanganui Year 4/5 cricketers unbeaten at Riverbend Tournament in Hawke's Bay

The Wanganui Year 4/5 cricket team (back row left) Guy Kennedy (manager), Michael Bell, Casey Connor, Hunter Lithgow, Finlay Cairncross, Tobias McClintock, Yamato Kusano-Whetton, Mark Lithgow (coach). Front: Hugo Kennedy, Joey Keenan, Lachlan Smith, Hunter Holloway, Noah Toy, Cartier Walsh. Photo / Corena Hodgson

The Jurgens Demolition Wanganui Year 4/5 cricket team has gone through the Riverbend Tournament in Hawke's Bay unbeaten.

In their first game, Wanganui's youngest representative side played Napier Old Boys Marist, winning the toss and electing to bat.

They got off to a shaky start before a good partnership between Noah Toy (25 retired) and Mikey Bell (11) got the innings back on track. Hugo Kennedy finished with a cameo of 18 to get Wanganui through to 146-7 in their 30 overs.

Napier started well with a solid opening stand before wickets fell at regular intervals. The wickets were shared around with Cartier Walsh bowling a great spell of 1-5 off his 3 overs. Napier ended up with 117.

The second game was against Eastern Suburbs when Wanganui bowled first and captured an early wicket through excellent bowling by Casey Connor (1-5).

The story of the innings was the sharp fielding display with two run-outs and some superb catches. Eastern Suburbs ended with 122-5.

Tobias McClintock-Trass bowled a tidy spell in his first game for Wanganui with 0-12.

Wanganui were rocked early in their reply with good bowling having them 39-6 before Hunter Lithgow 29, Finn Cairncross 20 and Kennedy 26 managed to get Wanganui home with nine wickets down.

Wanganui's third game was against a good Johnsonville side. Wanganui won the toss and decided to bat. Cairncross continued his fine form with a hard hit 35. Joey Keenan, only in Year 4, made a stylish 25 and Yamato Kusano-Whetton with 21 had a fine middle-order partnership before Lithgow with 26 off 9 balls enabled the team to get a formidable 175.

Johnsonville made steady progress towards the total but were always behind the run rate.

Lachie Smith bowled a tight line and length during his spell and the fielding was on song. Cairncross had a fine all-round game with 2-3. The rain came late with Johnsonville needing 54 off 5 overs. Duckworth Lewis had the Wanganui side well ahead at this stage.

The final game was against Napier Tech when Wanganui won the toss and again elected to bat.

Cairncross (28) and Lithgow (40) continued their fine form. Hunter Holloway, another Year 4 player, played a good knock at the end of the innings. Wanganui ended up with 161-9.

Napier Tech were rattled early from some fine bowling from Kusano-Whetton (2-6) and never recovered. Toy with 2-3 polished off the tail to have Napier Tech all out for 88.