United need strong showing as confident Red Star make trip to Victoria Park for Coastal Challenge third round

Greg Smith should be back to full fitness for United this Saturday. Photo / File

There is the chance for a little bit of payback as well as securing important Coastal Challenge Cup points as Property Brokers United hosts Burger King Red Star at Tasman Tanning (Victoria) Park on Saturday.

Having taken the bye after their opening round derby game with Wanganui Vet Services Marist was rained out, United would have been keen observers of the scorecard last Saturday when Red Star hosted Marist and hammered them by 182 runs at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Former Riverview Motel Whanganui and United player Trey Bidois put on the decisive 143-run partnership with Mark Steventon as Red Star scored 307-7 in the 50-over match.

Post Office Hotel Wairarapa representative bowlers Ethan Childs and Peter Sigvertsen then ran through Marist’s top order, with Red Star able to give eight players a turn at the crease as the visitors were bowled out for 125.

Trying to make their sixth Coastal Challenge Cup final in nine seasons, United will be well aware of how dangerous Red Star can be, after they themselves lost by 112 runs in Masterton last summer, which was their only defeat in round-robin play.

Whanganui skipper Greg Smith should be just about back to full fitness after his knee injury before the New Year, and will need a strong batting performance – as will fellow representative players Daniel Burgess, Carter Hobbs, and Chris Sharrock.

Veteran allrounder Brendon Walker took a couple of wickets against Marist before the rain came, and can be influential with bat or ball.

In the other games, this is the last weekend for Horowhenua-Kapiti derby fixtures, with inter-district games for the rest of the round robin.

Defending champions and current table leaders Levin Old Boys host Roofbox Paraparaumu at Donnelly Park, while Weraroa CC take on Kapiti Old Boys at Weraroa Domain.

Games start at 11am.

In a correction from Tuesday’s story, Marist’s Andy Manousos was his side’s top scorer in the loss to Red Star with 21 runs, batting at No7 in the order last Saturday.

School cricket

The two school teams in Cricket Whanganui’s Premier 2 40-over competition will play their first fixtures this weekend in the second round.

As the Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI vs Whanganui High School 1st XI game from the opening weekend has been deferred, the sides will have their first tests facing Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens and Whanganui Renegades respectively.

WHS vs Renegades could be a humdinger after both teams met in the Premier 2 Twenty20 A Grade final on January 13th, which finished tied before WHS triumphed in the Super Over.

Property Brokers United P2′s and Wicket Warriors Whanganui will both look to rebound from losses in their first games when they face each other.

In the Premier 3 30-over competition, both games were rained out last weekend, so teams will be eager to rack up some winning competition points this Saturday.

The P2-40 games start at 12.30pm while the P3-40 matches begin at 1pm.

Draws for February 3

Coastal Challenge Cup 50-over

Property Brokers United vs Burger King Red Star

Levin Old Boys vs Roofbox Paraparaumu

Weraroa CC vs Kapiti Old Boys

Bye: Wanganui Vet Services Marist

P2-40

Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI vs Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens

Whanganui High School 1st XI vs Whanganui Renegades

Property Brokers United P2′s vs Wicket Warriors Whanganui

P3-30

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens P3 vs Whanganui Collegiate P3

Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI vs Whanganui High School P3

Bye: Kaitoke Knight Riders