Burger King Red Star have home advantage for the Coastal Challenge playoffs after a bonus point win over Paraparaumu on Saturday.
Red Star went into the final round of the combined Horowhenua-Kapiti, Whanganui, and Wairarapa club competition well-positioned to push for a home semifinal. Their six-wicket victory over Paraparaumu locked in a semifinal at Queen Elizabeth Park Oval, and they were then handed the top spot when the leaders going into the last round, Whanganui United, were beaten by Levin Old Boys.
Should Red Star win their semifinal over Kapiti Old Boys on Saturday, they will host the final at the Oval the following Saturday. The Whanganui sides Marist and United will do battle in the other semifinal..
Saturday’s comfortable win at Kena Kena Park was a disciplined effort with ball and bat.
The bowlers restricted Paraparaumu to 162 on what Red Star captain Jeremy Anderson described as a pretty good pitch. Veteran medium pacer Pete Sigvertsen was at his miserly best in picking up 2–28 off his 10 overs at the top of the innings; spinners Quinn Childs, who was a late inclusion in the side, and Zacah Anstis were outstanding in the middle overs taking two wickets each, while medium pacers Ethan Childs [3–26] and George Deans [1–24] also impressed.
Wairarapa captain Robbie Anderson led the way with the bat, finishing unbeaten on 74 off 76 balls when the winning runs were scored in the 26th over. The hard-hitting left-hander had solid support from Trey Bidois, who again looked in superb touch before being dismissed for 20, and Mark Steventon, who ended a brief run-scoring drought with an aggressive 40 off 34 balls.
“We were pretty clinical,” Red Star captain Jeremy Anderson said.
“We bowled really well on a pretty good pitch. The two spinners Quinn and Zach bowled really well in the middle, Pete Sigversten bowled very well, and we fielded pretty well, and then the batting Robbie batted brilliantly, and Trey looked good again, and Steventon was back to his best.
“It was a pretty good all-round performance. It was a good wicket, and I’d imagine if we’d batted first, we would have scored over 300, so to restrict them to 162 was very pleasing.”
BRIEF SCORES
Paraparaumu 162 [Jono Griffith 43, Byron Gill 29; Ethan Childs 3–26, Zach Anstis 2–21, Pete Sigvertsen 2–28, Quinn Childs 2–21] lost to Red Star 165–4 [Robbie Anderson 74no, Mark Steventon 40] by six wickets
PROVISIONAL POINTS
Red Star 20; Whanganui Marist 19; Whanganui United 15; Kapiti Old Boys 13; Levin Old Boys 12; Weraroa, Paraparaumu 6.
