Whanganui settle for fourth place
Whanganui’s Chapple Cup bid finishes short
Riverview Motel Whanganui’s representative season came to a quiet close on Sunday afternoon after a Chapple Cup campaign that began with promise finished with an eight-wicket loss to Subway Manawatū .
Whanganui had missed the chance to make back-to-back Chapple final appearances in Palmerston North, after their 10-wicket win over Marlborough on Friday was followed by a disappointing 152-run loss to Post Office Hotel Wairarapa in Saturday’s semifinals.
In the play-off at Manawaroa Park, Whanganui made a stronger batting performance than against Wairarapa, managing to get through to the 50th over before being dismissed for 249.
Losing early wickets to be 23-2, Whanganui’s remaining top order in Shaun O’Leary (21), Ben Smith (26) and Carter Hobbs (37) all played themselves in under pressure, but could not kick on for the signature innings, as Arana Noema-Barnett (3-52) and Ethan Campbell (2-30) got amongst them.
Enter Mark Fraser (69 from 70 balls), who from 100-4 and despite losing key man Ben Smith, carried on with Tom Dempster (17) and then an attacking Chris Sharrock (44 from 31) to lift Whanganui to 238-6 with a chance to finish strong.
Manawatū‘s bowlers re-established themselves through Thomas Kirk (2-35) and Jack Harris (2-46), who broke the veterans partnership of Fraser and Sharrock, and then chipped out the rest of the Whanganui tail for only 11 more runs - at least 20 short of putting the home side under real pressure.
It proved even less of a stretch as Manawatū cantered to 252-2 by the 38th over - a good batting team who didn’t need any help, but received it when Whanganui dropped several catches and made several misfields, along with 20 wides.
Playing without strike bowler Ross
Kinnerley, while all-rounder Nick Harding had split his fingers fielding against Wairarapa, Whanganui were relying on a predominantly spin-based attack, which means fielders must take catch opportunities and cut off runs.
Instead, Noema-Barnett survived an early drop to score an outstanding 121 not out off 112 balls, being supported by Bayley Latter (39) and then Bevan Small (62 not out from 59).
The run chase disappointed coach Warren Marr, especially after his side had shown good character to bat a lot better than they did against Wairarapa, where former Black Caps bowler Seth Rance had again dominated them.
“We needed to come back and bat well, so to get 249 against that [Manawatū] bowling attack was good,” said Marr.
“It’s just trying to keep a high level of intensity for longer periods of time - we don’t practise that in our club cricket.
“Marlborough weren’t strong, but I was pleased we put them to the sword.”
Wairarapa’s dream run to their first Chapple Cup final was ended by Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay, making up for lost time after missing last year’s tournament, as despite chasing a competitive total of 282-6, they cruised to their target in only the 31st over for a six-wicket win to regain the crown.
“That shows where Central Districts cricket is - there’s just one top side now,” said Marr.
Nonetheless, despite injuries to two key players, Marr still had 12 squad members in Palmerston North, each selected ahead of a handful of other players who missed out.
“That’s such a healthy position to be in - we’re growing the player base.”
He hopes all of them will be available next season, including English import James Woodford and the evergreen Fraser.
For captain Greg Smith, the dream had been for his team to make a big statement by riding the good luck of their random draws to make consecutive Chapple finals, given Hawke’s Bay hammered Manawatū in the other semifinal.
But in their final two games, the team did not produce consistency - relatively good bowling against Wairarapa undone by the tail wagging and then Whanganui’s batting collapse, and then gritty batting against Manawatū undone by a poor effort in the field.
“Tough weekend, to summarise it.
The first day shot us in the foot a bit - people not bowling or batting much.
“On paper, we look like a good team, but we need to string together more than one session.
“If you give Manawatū that chance, they’re going to take it.”
“To beat Manawatū you need to have a good day in all three departments [batting, bowling, fielding]. “We’re not a million miles away.” Follow results and draws for the tournament at https://www.playhq. com/new-zealand-cricket/org/cricketwhanganui-representative/cddasenior-representative-summer202324/central-districts-chapple-cup/ 6db24986
Cricket Whanganui’s Premier 2 40-over competition had table leaders Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens continue their momentum with an 88-run win at home over Property Brokers United P2’s.
Wicket Warriors Whanganui leapfrogged up the table with a crucial two-wicket win over the talented Whanganui High School First XI, while Whanganui Renegades made up some lost ground with a 134-run win over Whanganui Collegiate Second XI at the school grounds.
It proved to be a good weekend for the Saracens club as their Premier 3 30-over team travelled north to secure a three-run victory over Wanganui Vet Services Marist Second XI.
Results, February 17-18 Chapple Cup
Final: Post Office Hotel Wairarapa 282-6 lost to Pay Excellence Hawke’s Bay 284-4 by six wickets.
Play-off for third: Riverview Motel Whanganui 249 (M Fraser 69, C Sharrock 44, C Hobbs 37, B Smith 26, S O’Leary 21; A Noema-Barnett 3-52, E Campbell 2-30, T Kirk 2-35, J Harris 2-46) lost to Subway Manawatū 252-2 (A Noema-Barnett 121no, B Small 62no, B Latter 39) by eight wickets.
Cave Cup
Final: Whitaker Civil Engineering Taranaki 269 tied with HMC HorowhenuaKāpiti 269.
Super Over: Taranaki 15-1 lost to Horowhenua-Kāpiti 18-0.
Playoff for third: Pine Griffins Nelson 301-9 bt Marlborough 231 by 70 runs.
Premier 2
Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens 277-7 (D. Rayner 76, J. Hayward 41, T. Westwood 31, C. Rayner 29, B. Cunningham 22no, D. Ford 22; A. Patel 3-38, K. Bremer 2-31) bt Property Brokers United P2s 189 (H. Binning 76, R. Brown 31; T. Westwood 3-17, B. Cunningham 3-20) by 88 runs. Whanganui High School 1st XI 231-6 (R. Meredith 108no, Harry Burroughs 51no; P. Pillai 3-46, B. Sebastian 2-43) lost to Wicket Warriors Whanganui 232-8 (L. Cherian 110no, S. Tom 62; R. McRae 4-46) by two wickets. Whanganui Renegades 189 (N. Sherborne 56, M. Deighton 37, J Donaldson 29; K. Hatfull 3-20, J Keenan 3-40, H Wells 2-1) bt Whanganui Collegiate Second XI 55 (L. Brennan 4-13, A. Thomas 2-5, M. Hodges 2-13) by 134 runs.
Premier 3
Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens P3s 149-8 (A. Reynolds-Rowe 29, K. Stembridge 22; C. Friedel 2-11, H. Reid 2-29) bt Wanganui Vet Services Marist Second XI 146 (Z. O’Keefe 39, J. Baldwin 28, C. Thorpe 21; A. ReynoldsRowe 3-19, Unknown 3-50, B. Whymark 2-12, S. Edwards 2-50) by three runs. Whanganui High School P3s bt Awa City Cavaliers. Kaitoke Knight Riders bt Whanganui Collegiate School P3s.