Whanganui cricket: United to meet Collegiate in Premier 1 final match on Saturday

United’s Matthew Boswell has averaged more than 100 runs from his four innings this season. Photo / Jared Smith

The veterans or the young guns – only one can claim the crown as Cricket Whanganui hosts its first championship game for the 2023-24 season on Saturday.

Defending champions Property Brokers United meet first-time finalists Whanganui Collegiate 1st XI for the Premier 1 45-over trophy game.

The efforts to rebuild the local club scene through a 45-over competition for the first half of the summer resulted in an increase from four teams in 2022-23 to six teams this season.

Last year’s beaten finalists Wanganui Vet Services Marist scored a victory over United but lost to Collegiate, who then secured their spot in the final via superior run-rate despite the surprise five-run loss to Whanganui High School in their final round-robin game – also the first matchup between the two school 1st XIs in a decade.

United could field four players from the Riverview Motel Whanganui squad playing Furlong Cup cricket: acting skipper Chris Sharrock, batsmen Daniel Burgess and Carter Hobbs and spinner James Woodford.

Matthew Boswell has averaged more than 100 runs from his four innings this season while big-hitting Brendon Walker has been a mainstay with bat and ball.

For Collegiate, runs will be needed on top from Tim O’Leary, who missed out in the WHS defeat but before that had been running hot with 190 runs in three innings.

Allrounders Connor Rees, Angus Pearce and Angus Allpress have been instrumental for their side with wickets and runs.

The match starts at noon at the school grounds.

The penultimate round of the Premier 2 Twenty20 competition, the last before the Christmas/New Year holiday break, is also on Saturday.

There could be some significant movement at the top of the points table as the teams in second and third – the Hunterville Hackers and Whanganui Renegades – have matches at noon then meet each other in the 3pm round.

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens have one more game to hang on to their Top 4 spot before the January 13 playoffs, taking on a Whanganui High School squad with a few extra games remaining to try to make a run at the finals.

Departing Whanganui Collegiate 1st XI allrounder and Riverview Motel Whanganui squad member Oscar Mabin completed his tour of duty with the Central Districts side at the National Under-19 tournament at Lincoln University last Saturday.

CD picked up one victory over Northern Districts in their last robin game, before being beaten by the same side in their playoff match. Mabin played in five of the six matches, scoring 55 runs at an average of 18.34 and taking two wickets.

Whanganui will host the Central District Year 11-12 Girls Tournament, starting on Sunday and concluding on Tuesday. Games will be played on the Collegiate No 2 and No 3 grounds, with the artificial wickets at Springvale Park as backup in the case of wet weather. The representative teams of Wairarapa, Taranaki, Manawatū, Hawke’s Bay and Nelson will take part.

Draw for December 16

Premier 1 Final

Property Brokers United vs Whanganui Collegiate 1st XI

Premier 2 Twenty20

Wanganui Vet Services Marist 2nd XI vs Wicket Warriors Whanganui

Kaitoke Knight Riders vs Hunterville Hackers

Whanganui Renegades T20 vs Wanganui Old Boys-Tech

Matt Burke Engineering Marton Saracens 2nd XI vs Whanganui High School T20

Property Brokers United P2 vs Whanganui Collegiate 2nd XI

Hunterville Hackers vs Whanganui Renegades

Whanganui High School T20 vs Kaitoke Knight Riders