Cricketers take their guard for another season

It is back to the future for Marlborough’s senior cricketers this season.

The top of the south Tasman Premier League [TPL], last contested in the 20231-22 season, has been re-introduced.

Once again two side from Marlborough, the Falcons (players drawn from the Wairau and Wairau Valley clubs) and the Dolphins (players from the Renwick and Celtic clubs) will take part. They will be up against six Nelson club sides – Wakatu, ACOB, WTTU, Stoke Nayland, Nelson College and Wolves (Wanderers/Motueka).

The TPL is the association’s primary pre-Xmas competition, starting on October 11 with a round robin phase running until November 22. This will be followed by semifinals on November 29 and a final on December 6. The format is 50-over, white ball cricket.

A senior T20 competition will begin on Friday November 11 and run until February 13, 2026 the day before the Wine and Food Festival.

To conclude the senior season a four-team one-round white ball competition will take place, with a final to wrap up proceedings.

As was the case in 2024-25, separate second and third grade competitions will be held.

Second grade play, with five or six sides expected to front, will begin on October 18. In a change from the previous season, the second graders will play in just one 40-over competition through the course of the season, finishing up with a final on Wine and Food Weekend. A second grade T20 competition will again take place, scheduled for a November 11 start.

Third grade will also consist of just a single season-long 40-over competition, starting on October 25, with a T20 competition running alongside for part of the season.

Tournaments

Marlborough will again host a series of tournaments this season.

First up was the weekend’s Mud Cup tournament, being staged for the second time. Canterbury club sides - St Albans, Burnside West Christchurch University CC and Sydenham joined with a Marlborough XI in a three-day quadrangular tournament. All sides, especially those from down south, welcoming the opportunity to get in some very competitive T20 matches so early in the season.

The tournament was won by Burnside West, who went unbeaten, including victory over the home side in Sunday’s final. The finalists tied on day one, Marlborough beating St Albans on Saturday morning but losing to Sydenham later in the day.

The home side still qualified for the final and put up a strong showing, eventually losing by 12 runs as Burnside claimed the trophy for the first time. Marlborough’s early-season depth was fully tested, losing several players with hand injuries over the course of the tournament.

Marlborough player Josh Poole was named tournament MVP after a series of impressive outings with both bat and ball.

Next up was this week's annual inter-school quad First XI tournament, involving Marlborough Boys’ College, Auckland Grammar, Christ’s College and Otago Boys’ High School in a series of 50-over games, scheduled for September 30 - October 2.

The North and South Island over-50 men’s teams will do battle in a series of three one-day matches in Blenheim, from November 14-16.

Reps

The Marlborough senior men’s rep side will be kept busy with a demanding calendar in place. The annual Newman Shield games are scheduled for November 2 in Blenheim and March 1 in Nelson.

They will travel to the Chapple Cup tournament in Palmerston North on December 19-21

The reps will play one Hawke Cup qualifying match at home, against Canterbury Country on January 10-11, being away to both Nelson (December 13-14) and Buller (January 24-25).

The annual Scanlon/Stretch match against Buller is scheduled for November 30 in Westport.

The Marlborough women’s senior rep side play Nelson three times, at Horton Park in two T20s on November 23, in Nelson on January 18 and back in Blenheim on February 22. A combined Marlborough/Nelson senior women’s rep side will contest the annual Shrimpton Cup tournament in Levin from December 19-21.

This season’s Marlborough Cricket Association staff includes general manager Ed Gilhooly, cricket manager James Bell and Olivia Roseingrave, the community cricket development manager.