Cricket: Two Whanganui cricketers chosen for Districts team at Over 50's national tournament

Martin Pennefather, left, claims his Masters Award at the 2018 Whanganui Sports Awards.

The Districts team will be looking to their two Whanganui-based New Zealand representatives to perform strongly at the inaugural Over 50's Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in Christchurch next week.

The tournament will consist of four provincial teams who will play each other in a round-robin, followed by a grand final and playoff for third, after which a 16-man New Zealand Over 50's team will be selected to attend the World Cup in South Africa this coming March.

Teams have been organised from Auckland, Districts, Wellington/Tasman and Canterbury/Otago.

Players must have been born either on or before March 10, 1970, in order to be eligible.

The Districts team is made up of players from the North Island, outside of Auckland and Wellington.

This includes Marton Saracens wicketkeeper-batsman Andrew Spence and Wanganui United spinner Martin Pennefather.

Both Spence and Pennefather were in the New Zealand Over 50's side in the 2017-18 summer, with Pennefather going on to be selected for the squad that went to the inaugural World Cup in Sydney last November.

Pennefather's selection and performances saw him receive the Masters prize at the 2018 Whanganui Sports Awards.

Spence will be an opener for a batting order that includes captain Rudie Swanepoel, Northland's Bert Horner, Manawatu's Robbie Laird and New Plymouth's Craig Morris.

The wicketkeeper gloves are likely to be shared between Spence and Horner.

Andrew Spence.

Pennefather's offspinners will be heavily relied upon in a bowling lineup including Taranaki's Greg Shearer, Paul Taumanu, and Aaron Hills.

A late inclusion, and having 'veteran' status within the squad, will be batsman Graeme Inglis, who has also played for NZ Over 50's and was part of the Over 60's win over Australia last season.

Both Spence and Pennefather have remained active players on the club scene, as Marton Saracens won the Premier 2 Pro 40 final against the United 2nd XI in March this year, with Spence making 76 as part of being the highest run scorer in that competition.

Pennefather split his time between United's 2nd XI, who finished runnerup in all three championship finals for Premier 2, and filling in for the United 1st XI, who made the semifinals of the Coastal Challenge Cup.