Years 4/5 Whanganui rep cricket team celebrate unbeaten season

he unbeaten Whanganui crew were: Hunter Lithgow (left), Thomas McMurray, Ethan Toy, Hamish Robertson, Hugo Kennedy, Jed Whiteman, Kyan Hoekstra (obscured), Blayke Greenem, Matthew Bell, Alan Chacko, Finn Cairncross (kneeling, left), Joey Keenan (right).

The LJ Hooker Whanganui Years 4/5 cricket team had an enviable unbeaten season.
The side won all their matches and improved as a unit as the season progressed.

In review, the first match was against a powerful Western Bay Of Plenty side.

Fielding first, Ethan Toy and Hugo Kennedy opened the bowling for Whanganui claiming early wickets. The fielding kept the run rate down and wickets were taken at regular intervals to restrict BOP to 106 in their 30 overs.

Hunter Lithgow was the best of the bowlers with 2-4. Thomas McMurray got the chase off to a flying start with an elegant 22, however wickets were lost consistently leaving Whanganui at 101/9.

Joey Keenan, the only Year 3 on the field, kept out some good bowling before Lithgow was able to pull a ball through midwicket for the victory. Lithgow made 34no.

Next up were Upper Hutt where Whanganui lost the toss and were put in to bat. They were three down quickly before Kennedy and McMurray put together a fine 50 run stand and a quick fire 21 from hard-hitting Hamish Robertson at the end allowed Whanganui to make 141. McMurray top scored with 25no.

Some tight bowling from Matthew Bell (2-5) and Kyan Hoekstra (2-12) put the pressure on Upper Hutt early and the required run rate climbed. Catches win matches and the Whanganui boys took six during the innings. Upper Hutt were bundled out for 121.

Brooklyn were Whanganui's next victims.

Batting first, Finn Cairncross and Blayke Greenem put on an outstanding 56 for the first wicket followed by a stylish 17 from Alan Chacko. Lithgow (27no) and Kennedy (25no) finished the innings off to set an imposing total of 163.

Aggressive opening bowling by Jed Whiteman halted any early run chase with Brooklyn limping along to 118 off their 30 overs.

The Whanganui team was full of confidence going into their last match of the season against Central Hawkes Bay and it showed

Batting first everyone got involved going at more than 7 runs an over, eventually getting 213/5 with Cairncross (25ret) McMurray (25ret) and Lithgow (31ret) top scoring.

Kennedy opened the bowling with his lethal leggies taking a wicket off the first ball and Chacko taking two wickets in his opening spell.

At 3/3 it was an uphill struggle for CHB. Bell also bowled a great spell with 2-5 rounding out a fine all-round game and Keenan mixed up the pace with spin to confuse the batsmen with 2-10.

Unfortunately prize-giving had to be cancelled this year because of Covid-19.

Years 4/5 prize winners for 2019/20 were:

Batting: Thomas McMurray
Bowling: Ethan Toy
Most Improved: Hugo Kennedy
Most Valuable: Hunter Lithgow