Rain halts opening round of Coastal Challenge Cup

The weather brought the Whanganui derby game to an early end.

If Property Brokers United and Wanganui Vet Services Marist settle their rivalry for 2024, it will have to be in the Coastal Challenge Cup playoffs, as the round-robin opener was rained out on Saturday.

Planning to make the earlier 11am start at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park, play was delayed due to the wet weather from the night before, getting under way just after the provisional 12pm beginning.

Put into bat, Marist’s openers Joel Clark and Nick Harding made a watchful start, with Lovedeep Randhawa and Harry Burroughs sending down a few dot balls, but Clark was beginning to find his rhythm with three boundaries until Randhawa had him caught out.

Harding (28 from 41 balls) was then partnering with veteran Chris Stewart (30 not out from 52) to consolidate the innings, until Brendon Walker (2-21), working with the economical Drew Brennan, got Harding caught out and trapped another key man in Shaun O’Leary in front to reduce Marist to 88-3.

However, the rain returned swiftly with only 10 more runs added, with play abandoned in the 24th over.

Having to share the competition points will not satisfy either United or Marist in the race to confirm spots in the top 4 by March 16, given both games played in the Horowhenua-Kāpiti area on Saturday were able to be completed.

Defending champions Levin Old Boys are off to a strong start in their quest to win the first-ever Coastal Challenge three-peat, after an ultimately comfortable 66-run victory over Weraroa CC at Donnelly Park.

There was a thriller at Paraparaumu Domain as Kāpiti Old Boys got snuck home by just one wicket in a weather reduced 43-over game against Roofbox Paraparaumu.

Coastal Challenge Cup, January 20

Wanganui Vet Services Marist 98-3 (C Stewart 30no, N Harding 28; B Walker 2-21) vs Property Brokers United abandoned due to wet weather.

Roofbox Paraparaumu 162-9 (L Rukuwai 61no, K Tonks 26, K Patel 24; M Newell 3-30, C Andrews 3-36, T Cloete 2-28) lost to Kāpiti Old Boys 163-9 (T Cloete 47, J Rose-Miles 21, Z Benton 19no; S Windle 3-15, J Keats 2-30) by one wicket.

Levin Old Boys 279 (J Pinfold 77, D Sanson 68, M Wilson 46, M Good 32; P Liyanage 3-38, L Spring 3-47) bt Weraroa CC 213 (P Liyanage 116, K Maclachlan 29, C O’Connell 24no; A Halbert 4-31, D Kennett 3-18) by 66 runs.

Aidan Muir

United and Whanganui High School standout bowler Aidan Muir has begun his campaign with the Central Districts Under 17′s squad at the NZC National Tournament at Lincoln University.

Muir played as bowler only in CD’s draw with Auckland U17 in their opening two-day game on Thursday and Friday at the Lincoln Green.

He took 2-23 off eight overs in Auckland’s first innings of 233 in reply to CD’s 208, and then 1-19 off two overs in the fourth innings as Auckland finished 207-7 in reply to CD’s 233-4 declared.

CD was scheduled to play Northern Districts U17 in their second match starting on Sunday.