Wairarapa Times-Age E-Edition

Pride on the line in city derby

CHRIS COGDALE chris.cogdale@age.co.nz

Burger King Red Star and United are playing for pride in today’s final games in the Coastal Challenge T20 series in Levin.

The two teams will meet in today’s first game, with the winners going on to play the winners of the Whanganui United – Weraroa [Levin] game. The two losing teams will square off for the wooden spoon.

Red Star and United were beaten by Paraparaumu and Kapiti Old Boys in the first two rounds of the combined Wairarapa, Horowhenua-kapiti competition, played in Masterton last Saturday. United came closest to victory, falling just three runs short of Kapiti, while the other three losses were by big margins.

Red Star are expected to be close to full strength and have a squad of 13 for this afternoon’s games.

Good starts with the bat have been a rarity for Red Star over the past two seasons, and that was evident last week, especially in the second game against Kapiti, where they lost their first five wickets for 23 runs, a position from which they never recovered.

The top-middle order has been boosted with the inclusion of hard-hitting Wairarapa College batter Mark Steventon, who has the ability to take the game away from the opposition in quick fashion, but Red Star also need hard hitters such as Robbie Anderson, Nathan Elliott, and Nathan Chaney to find some early season form, while allrounder Sean Wakelin showed how dangerous he can be top scoring with 39 off 14 balls in the loss to Paraparaumu.

Anchoring the innings will be the role of Rathkeale’s representative opening batter Jake Jonas, but he is more than just a worker of the ball and can score quickly if the situation is required.

Captain and medium-fast bowler Stefan Hook and veteran medium pacer Pete Sigvertsen were the pick of the Red Star bowlers last week and will again be expected to make inroads at the top of the United innings.

United are still not at full strength with the return of their university students Gus Borren, John Mckenzie, and Ethan and Quinn Childs a few weeks away, while hard hitting all-rounder Jaco Vorster is unavailable for today’s games.

Captain Jared van Deventer said although the team was not at its strongest, he expected improvement from last Saturday, and a good tussle for local bragging rights.

“We had our chances last week but didn’t put them away. There was definitely a bit of rust, but we bowled and fielded well,” said van Deventer.

“If we can beat Red Star and then win our second game that would be fifth place, and that wouldn’t be a bad start to the season.”

With Vorster missing, the responsibility to get the side off to a good start will rest with van Deventer, and veteran Robbie Spears, while 15-year-old Samuel Payne underlined his immense potential top scoring with 41 off 29 balls in the heavy loss to Paraparaumu.

Payne could also have an influence with the ball, having claimed 2-30 in four overs in restricting Kapiti to 105 on the Park Sports Ground artificial.

Today’s first T20 will start at 12 midday on the Donnelly Park No. 4 pitch, with the final round starting at 3.30pm.

SPORT

en-nz

2021-10-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://times-age.pressreader.com/article/282480006996749

National Media Limited