Whanganui sport: All the action from our cricket teams

Round six of the Coastal Challenge Cup club competition is split this weekend with Horowhenua-Kapiti teams taking on club sides from Wairarapa.

Next weekend the remaining Whanganui teams, Whanganui Collegiate School and Property Brokers Wanganui United, clash while Wanganui Vet Services Marist sit out the bye.

Medical Centre Paraparaumu now share the lead with Burger King Red Star on 15 points, although the former have a slight run rate advantage with Marist poised in third on 12 points.

Paraparaumu moved into a share of the lead courtesy of a dominant win over bottom of the table Weraroa White Herons. Paraparaumu set an imposing target of 282 all out thanks to the 110 from first drop Kelsey Fahey.

Weraroa struggled throughout to be dismissed for 159 in 46.4 overs.

Today Paraparaumu take on Kapiti Old Boys on the Paraparaumu Domain. KOB come into the match off a bye last week and will be the underdogs.

Winless Weraroa play the in-form Red Star X1 at home on Weraroa Domain, while fourth placed Levin Old Boys will have a tough contest against Levin United, who will be pumped after a four wicket win over Red Star last weekend.

There are two rounds remaining before the semifinals following next weekend's Round 7 split contest featuring Whanganui teams.

Meanwhile, Whanganui featured strongly in the opening round of the new Central Super League women's franchise competition in Palmerston North last weekend,

Palmerston North Tui, coached by former Cricket Wanganui chief Dilan Raj, and Coastal Challengers Levin, skippered by Whanganui White Fern and Central Hinds co-captain Jess Watkin, were the only two sides to win on the inaugural day.

Natalie Dodd's New Plymouth Power elected to bat first against the Tui after winning the toss at Manawaroa Park, but a total of 129 all out in 40 overs proved no match for the Tui who scored the winning runs in the 29th over with eight wickets still in hand.

Central Hinds spinner Georgia Atkinson was the star of the day, having ripped out 4-34 to have Power in early trouble after the loss of captain Dodd, while Ashleigh Hurley and Jasmine Odell both claimed 2-17 as Power struggled to put together partnerships.

Atkinson then put the polish on a superb all-round performance with an unbeaten 77 off 100 balls, including nine boundaries, maintaining her composure after having lost opening partner Ocean Bartlett to the very first ball of the chase.

Nelson-based Central Hind Claudia Green trapped Bartlett for the diamond duck and went on to take 2-22 for Power, after dismissing fellow Central Hind Ashtuti Kumar by bowling the youngster on 29, at 104/2 in the 23rd over.

But with Atkinson in total control, the chase was never under threat as Tui cruised home in just the 29th over.

Coastal Challengers captain Watkin, meanwhile, won the toss and elected to bowl in the concurrent first round fixture against Anlo van Deventer's Tararua Kotahi.

The Kotahi were bowled out for 165 in 47.2 overs, Melissa Hansen top-scoring with 33 before becoming the fourth wicket to fall at the midpoint of the innings as Mikaela Greig ripped out the heart of the batting.

It proved the pivotal wicket for the Challengers, and they kept making regular breakthroughs. Greig led the way with her 3-25 and Flora Devonshire picked up 2-15 off just three overs.

Unbeaten half centuries from Hinds duo Kerry Tomlinson (51 not out off 59 balls, 8x4) and Greig (53 not out off 79 balls, 3x4) ensured the Challengers also got home with eight wickets in hand, despite Monique Rees having claimed the big wicket of Watkin at 43/2.

The Hinds pair shared an unbeaten 123-run stand for the third wicket with the victory ticked off in the 36th over.

Round two on Sunday was abandoned as heavy rain fell in Palmerston North.

The Jurgens Demolition U11 Wanganui cricket team played Horowhenua Kapiti (HK) in Levin two weeks ago.

Wanganui won the toss and elected to field. Jed Whiteman and Finn Cairncross bowled a sharp opening spell both taking early wickets. Fielding was on form with Kyan Hoekstra taking a nice catch to dismiss one of their dangerous batsmen.

Alex Whiteman, in his first game for Wanganui, bowled well and took his first wicket. HK made steady progress and were looking like scoring a 140 before a lethal spell of bowling from Ethan Toy taking 4-8. Thomas McMurray rounded out a good performance with some fine death bowling.

In reply Wanganui thought they might be in for a quick finish when Blayke Greenam started swinging for the fences. However, HK had some handy bowlers and pulled the run rate back, taking wickets at vital times.

A partnership of 40 between Hunter Lithgow (22 retired) and Toy (16) steadied the ship and got the target within reach. Hamish Robertson anchored the latter part of the innings beautifully and retired for 11.

In the end it took a great pull shot from Alan Chacka to get Wanganui over the line for a good first-up win.

Iain Hyndman
Whanganui Chronicle 5/12/20