Smith found support from former representative batsman Daniel Burgess (20), who played Premier 2 before Christmas, and then fellow rep player Chris Sharrock (64 from 65) – with crucial 82 and 74-run partnerships respectively.
Having hit 16 boundaries, Smith was finally trapped in front by spinner Joel Clark, and then the mystic man from Sri Lanka Pasindu Pathirana (3-20) spun his way through United’s swinging lower order.
Marist ultimately used nine bowlers with seven of them getting wickets, as the side welcomed back former representative pace bowler Ross Kinnerley (2-23) for his first Premier 1 game in two months, bowling United out for 232 with just over three overs left.
Interestingly, with eight current or former Collegiate men in their ranks, Marist still didn’t have a monopoly over securing Old Boys talents, as a couple of bowlers from this summer’s 1st XI instead joined United and made a big impact.
Seb Dadic (3-49) removed both openers in Clark and Nick Harding, the latter right when he looked to really get going with 17 at a run-a-ball.
But that just brought out another Collegiate talent in Connor Rees (94 from 95), second only to Smith as Premier 1’s most prolific batsman, and while supported by the O’Learys in Timothy (18) and then Shaun (46), Marist were in a commanding position at 180-3.
Having hit 10 boundaries and two sixes, Rees would have been gutted to be dismissed in the nervous 90s for his second straight Premier 1 match, having given up a snick behind off Charlie Meredith.
And just like last year’s Coastal semifinal, Marist faltered under United’s tight bowling, but ironically this time the spinner’s pressure came from Smith himself (3-27).
Traditionally, the likes of United’s Tom Lance, Robbie Power, Martin Pennefather and in recent seasons Aiden Muir had tied sides up in knots, but with none of them available it fell to Smith to bowl a full complement of nine overs and he didn’t disappoint – removing Marist’s middle order including the set Shaun O’Leary as they slumped to 204-8 with just the tail left.
Dadic and then another Collegiate pickup for United in Hamish Cranstone (2-26) returned and were cleaning up the Marist bowlers, but another O’Leary in Sam (15 from nine) still had to fight to try and succeed where his cousins succumbed.
Striking two boundaries, including off the first ball of the final over when 10 runs were required, Sam O’Leary looked like he might just pull off a miracle, but the very next delivery Cranstone broke his stumps to deliver United an unbeaten campaign.
“It was a good, close game, had a lot of young guys come in and bowl well,” said acting skipper Gerard Hobbs, who joked he was now about 20 years older than the average age of the team.
“We usually have all those [veteran] spinners and none of them were available.”
United will now see if they can make it back-to-back Coastal Challenge Cup titles after finally breaking through last season - Hobbs noting while Marist have impressed against other teams and he expected that to happen again, they still seem to struggle against their local rival in the key games.
“We like playing Marist, so it’s all good. We’ve definitely got it over them.”
Saturday also saw the start of the Premier 2 40-Over and Premier 3 30-Over competitions.
In Premier 2, Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens signalled their intentions as batsman Oscar McVerry continued his outstanding form from their Twenty20 title win, smashing 152 not out in the victory over Property Brokers United P2’s at Centennial Park.
Whanganui Renegades won their derby with Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI, while in Premier 2, defending champions Kaitoke Knight Riders went down by seven runs in a thriller with Property Brokers United P3’s.
Results, January 11
Jurgens Demolition Premier 1
Property Brokers United 232 (G Smith 93, C Sharrock 64, D Burgess 20; P Pathirana 3-20, R Kinnerley 2-23) bt Wanganui Vet Services Marist 227 (C Rees 94, S O’Leary 46; G Smith 3-27, S Dadic 3-49, H Cranstone 2-26) by five runs.
Premier 2 40-over
Whanganui Renegades 253-7 (B Heap 81no, G Singh 65, M Deighton 32, N Sherbone 23; Z O’Keefe 2-32, J Baldwin 2-57) bt Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI 185 (J Baldwin 70, Z O’Keefe 21, B Turner 20; A Thomas 3-26, N Sherbone 2-22, R Donaldson 2-30) by 68 runs.
Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens 326-4 (O McVerry 152no, D Rayner 57, P Hutchison 40; E Toy 2-57) bt Property Brokers United P2 175 (B Walker 35, L Hoekstra 26, A Toy 24, E Toy 20; D Ford 3-50, T Westwood 2-14, Unknown 2-20) by 151 runs.
Premier 3 30-over
Property Brokers United P3’s 198-8 (B Whiteman 60, S Mosen 48, H Holloway 20no; M Slade 4-25, D Holly 3-25) bt Kaitoke Knight Riders 191-8 (D Holly 61, B Mathews 20no; J Gray 3-49, K Hoekstra 2-25, K Bremer 2-32) by seven runs.
