Reflecting on a successful 2023/24 season, where our 1st XI made the Whanganui Premier 1 Grand Final, competed well in their traditional fixtures and made history in their unbeaten tour of Australia.

In Term 4 the 1st XI win eight games in a row to find themselves in the Whanganui Premier Grand Final against Wanganui United, falling just short against the defending men’s champions.

The Australian tour was next up, where the XI took on some of Australia’s top schools, most notably making history with the highest score for a Whanganui Collegiate School team in a 50 over game, with 338/7. Captain Connor Rees’s 181 was also the highest individual score in a traditional for Whanganui Collegiate School. Finishing up the tour unbeaten, the 1st XI headed into the two-day fixtures full of confidence.

A dominate display against Rathkeale College ended in a frustrating draw before another white ball encounter with St Peter’s Cambridge. The first game going to St Peter’s, WCS bounced back to dominate the second game and take the victory. Hutt International Boys’ School took a late final wicket on day two to win that traditional before the 1st XI faced a strong New Plymouth Boys’ High School side in the Gillette regional qualifier. The WCS runs weren’t enough as NPBHS finished the game off four down, to win by six wickets. A disappointing exit from the National Competition, but great learnings to take from it. Draws against Wellington College, New Plymouth Boys’ High School and Christ’s College then rounded off the red ball season, before a final trip up to St Paul’s Collegiate. Losing a tight T20 on Day 1, WCS turned around to win the second game by seven wickets, rounding off a superb season.

The Hunt Trophy was the final hit out for the boys, thumping their way to the final with big wins over Paraparaumu College, St Patrick’s Silverstream and Rongotai. Wellington College proved too strong in the final, chasing down 190 in 20 overs, with a superb 100 scored. Ultimately the big games didn’t fall our way with losses in the Premier Grand Final, Gillette Regional qualifier and Hunt Trophy Final this season, but this does not define the 1st XI season, with great successes throughout and an entertaining brand of cricket played.

The 2nd XI competed in the inaugural Premier 2 T20 competition, before moving into the 40-over competition in Term 1. They competed well throughout the year, falling short of making the finals, but having some success in some brilliant tight affairs. With two ties and a narrow lost to Rathkeale after taking five of the last six wickets without the score changing, the 2nd XI had a season to remember.

The newly launched Seddon Cup started for our Colts and while we were on the end of some tough results, the growth made within that squad showed as they qualified for the NZCT National Finals as the Central Districts representative. Taking on the countries best Colts sides, Whanganui Collegiate School Colts Black bowled Auckland Grammar, Christchurch Boys’ High School and Waitaki Boys’ High School out for under 100. A superb tournament for the boys saw more great learnings as this exciting young group moves forward.

The Girls 1st XI enjoyed some great local success and will look to dominate again locally this year, knocking over Whanganui Girls College and Whanganui High School comfortably while chasing down our traditional rivals in the Girls arena. Entering into the Aimee Watkins Trophy, the Girls 1st XI competed well, beating Solway College and tieing the match against Kuranui College. Another excellent outing for the Girls and a competition we will look to challenge in again next season.

Finally, the Junior Colts Blue competed in the T16 League in which they took a narrow loss in the semi-final. After a loss in the final the year before, we will look to go one better next season to claim the T16 title which has so far eluded us.

TOP ACHIEVERS

Tim O’Leary (1176 1st XI Runs Season 23/24)

Connor Rees (1063 1st XI Runs Season 23/24, Highest Individual Score in a traditional game 181 vs Geelong Grammar School)

Charlie Mabin (53 1st XI Wickets Season 23/24)

REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS

Whanganui U17 Boys: Connor Rees, Tim O’Leary, Josh Keenan, Jimmy Lithgow, Angus Allpress, Rory Nugent O’Leary, Rupert Smith, Charlie Mabin, Hamish Cranstone

Whanganui U15 Boys: Thomas McMurray, Eddie Marshall, Hamish Robertson, Alex Whiteman

Whanganui U13 Boys: Finlay Cairncross, Hunter Lithgow, Fred Whisker, Reef McIntyre, Lachlan Pitt, Wade Kui, William Simes

Whanganui U15 Girls: Libby Hobbs, Leaf Higgie, Chloe Neilson

Whanganui U13 Girls: Emma Wright, Pippa Cooper

Central Districts U17: Tim O’Leary

AWARDS

Blues Tie: Connor Rees, Tim O’Leary, Charlie Mabin, Angus Pearce