Nathan Elliot batting for Red Star. PHOTO/JADE CVETKOV
CRICKET
JAKE BELESKI
[email protected]
Both Wairarapa teams came up short in the Coastal Challenge Cup when the one-day competition resumed on Saturday after a three-week break.
United suffered a heart-breaking one-wicket defeat to St John’s Tech in Whanganui, thanks to a couple of vital late partnerships for the home team.
United batted first and amassed a very defendable total of 243-9 from 49.4 overs, on the back of an impressive innings of 89 off 104 balls from Liam Burling.
Other contributions came from Mark Childs [37 off 58] and No 10 batsman Sanjay Patel [31 off 15], but United would have been hoping to set a bigger target.
At 151-3 with 15 overs left, they were in a perfect position to put the foot down and post a large score, but a flurry of wickets reduced them to 206-8, before some late heroics from Patel got them through to a competitive total.
John Ryan picked up an early wicket for United, but St John’s Tech fought back with some solid partnerships.
At one stage they were 96-4, and it looked as if United could be heading for a comfortable win.
But Ross Kinnerley and Cameron Mackintosh combined to put together an 81-run partnership for the home side, before Kinnerley was finally dismissed to make the score 177-5.
Some quick wickets put the home team in big trouble at 199-8, but Tyler Lock and Devon Purvis carried the score through to 239-8, before Lock was dismissed.
St John’s Tech held their nerve to get home by the narrowest of margins, even though they still had 12 overs to spare.
United will rue the extra runs they gifted the home team, as the 37 wides they bowled ended up being crucial to the final result.
Reece Hannam was the pick of the bowlers for United, taking 3-17 from his five overs.
Red Star also resumed their campaign on Saturday in Whanganui, but were overpowered by the Wanganui Collegiate First XI.
Red Star won the toss and elected to bat, but were soon regretting that decision as they slumped to 40-4.
They were eventually all out for 112 in just 27.3 overs.
Only three batsmen got into double figures, with George Deans [21 off 36 balls], Zac Caldwell [31 off 33] and Peter Sigvertsen [24 off 38] trying their best to get Red Star through to a total they could defend.
In the end it wasn’t enough, however, as Wanganui Collegiate won by seven wickets.
Opening batsman Sam Sheriff was the main contributor in the run chase, finishing not out on 68 off 79 balls.
Jay Watt, Sigvertsen and Deans picked up one wicket apiece for Red Star.
The Coastal Challenge Cup will take another week off this weekend, before resuming on December 8.
Red Star will host Kapiti Old Boys at Queen Elizabeth Park in Masterton that weekend, with United travelling to Whanganui once again, to take on Wanganui United.
SCOREBOARD
United 243-9 [Liam Burling 89; Akhil Kumar 4-65] lost to St John’s Tech 245-9 [Bevan Hunter 48; Reece Hannam 3-17] by one wicket.
Red Star 112-9 [Zac Caldwell 31; Joseph Abernethy 3-12] lost to Wanganui Collegiate First XI 113-3 [Sam Sheriff 68; Peter Sigvertsen 1-17] by seven wickets.
