Mixed results at challenge

Eric Head, with Jordan Candish, Timothy Roebuck, Quinn Mailman, Joseph Redpath, Matthew Zimmerman, and Cole Brasting. Reece Hoobin, Wiremu Hiri, Cameron MacKintosh, Kohlt Coveny, Hamish Broadhead.

A determined fight from the Wanganui Collegiate Year 9 bowlers gave them a 25 run victory over their Palmerston North Boys High counterparts in a low scoring game on Wednesday.

After a disastrous start at the school grounds, where Collegiate lost their top four batsmen very cheaply, William Hocquard (22) and Hunter Morrison (18) put together a 46 run partnership for the sixth wicket. Dismissed for 97 in the 31st over, Collegiate's bowlers were going to have to do a lot of work to keep PNBHS Year 9 from their target.

However, the attack responded, backed up by good fielding, to have the Manawatu team all askew at 12/5.

Adam Lennox, James Craig, Harry Godfrey and Joel Clark put the ball in the right place, with the fields set to create pressure and then attack.

PNBHS were bowled out for 72, with Craig (4-12) and Godfrey (4-21) the chief destroyers.

Meanwhile, Wanganui High School teams had a mixed bag in their interschool challenge against Wairarapa College last week at Victoria Park, although their star player was a class above in the girls first victory.

The Wairarapa girls team would have been confident after amassing 225/3 from their 30 overs, but WHS's New Zealand A representative Jessica Watkin proceeded to smash 167 not out to lead her team to 226/2 with five overs to spare.

Watkin's innings was so dominant that her team mate Mikal Terrey offered the most support by scoring 10.

The WHS first boys were beaten by 90 runs after an unfortunate batting collapse against spin bowling in their 40 over game.

WHS's bowlers made a good start, getting three wickets for just six runs, eventually bowling Wairarapa College out for 190 after a middle order recovery.

Timothy Roebuck (4-27), Joseph Redpath (2-39) and Quinn Mailman (2-34) were the main benefactors.

Opening batsmen Redpath and Cameron MacKintosh made a good start, reaching 55/0 after 13 overs, but WHS would lose all their wickets for just 45 runs more, which included Cole Brasting making 21. The home team had no answer to the leg spin of Hugo Wakeling, who would take 8-21 in a devastating 6.5 over spell.

The WHS boys colts team had a hard 120 run loss to Wairarapa, who amassed 176/7 from their 30 overs and then bowled the home team out for 56.

WHS sports co-ordinator Lisa Murphy said the first XI has been lucky to have the expertise of Whanganui cricket stalwart Eric Head as their coach this season.

"We have put a pathway in place for our cricket players at WHS and with Eric's knowledge that he can give our players, we are hoping to develop cricket again at WHS."