Kishan Dhiman plays a shot on his way to 70. PHOTOS/JADE CVETKOV
CRICKET
CHRIS COGDALE
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United are through to the final of the Coastal Challenge two-day competition after a first innings win over Whanganui Marist at the weekend.
The game was moved to the Hadlow artificial pitch after persistent rain during the week left the Queen Elizabeth Park Oval unplayable.
United’s batters flourished on the batter-friendly pitch, amassing a challenging total of 297 off 96 overs. The innings was set up by an outstanding opening partnership of 65 between John McKenzie, with a watchful 42, and top scorer Kishan Dhiman, who was eventually the fifth man out for an impressive 70 from 133 balls and featuring 11 fours.
A big score looked a long way off when United lost their sixth wicket at 183, but two college students with a history of batting together regained the momentum.
Samuel Payne [24] and Samuel Jonas [27] added 44 and swung the ascendancy United’s ways. The two Sams have batted together on numerous occasions having once featured in a unbeaten double century partnership for Masterton Intermediate School.
A 44-run stand for the last wicket between Gurdev Singh [37no] and Regan Ficker [8] added the icing on a solid batting effort.
Marist struggled from the outset, losing their first two wickets for 10 runs, both LBW to the leg spin of Robbie Speers. The visitors were eventually dismissed for 96 off 60 overs. Fricker was the best of the bowlers with 3-24 from 17.1 miserly overs.
With little time left in the match to push for an outright, time was called, with United progressing to the final against Kapiti Old Boys on January 8-9.
Wairarapa medium-fast bowler Stefan Hook starred with bat and ball in Burger King Red Star’s first innings victory over Whanganui United in Whanganui.
Hook top scored with 55 in Red Star’s first innings of 172 on the City College artificial pitch, a score worth considerably more because of the slow outfield.
He then took 5-20 off 11.5 overs as Whanganui United were bundled out 78.
In the second innings Hook [37no] combined with Jake Jonas [63] in an 82-run third-wicket partnership as Red Star looked to set a challenging chase for the home side.
They eventually declared at 129-4, leaving Whanganui United 223 to get off about 40 overs.
Play was eventually called off with Whanganui Marist 99-5 after one of their batters was hit in the face after a short delivery went through the grill on his helmet.
BRIEF SCORES
United 297 [Kishan Dhiman 70, John McKenzie 42, Robbie Speers 32, Gurdev Singh 37no; Fraser Kinnerley 4-60] drew with Whanganui Marist 96 [Regan Fricker 3-24]. United win on first innings.
Red Star 172 [Stefan Hook 55; Levi Hoekstra 3-32] and 129-4 decl., [Jake Jonas 63, Hook 37no] drew with Whanganui United 78 [Hook 5-20] and 99-5 [Tom Lance 42]. Red Star win on first innings.
