The Willows faced off against a young, but talented, Whanganui Collegiate side in a keenly contested match for the Dermot Payton Trophy. Batting first, The Willows were met with disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from the Whanganui side, who showcased an excellent team culture and strong work ethic. Their relentless pressure in the field restricted The Willows to a modest total of 112 all out. The top scorer for the Willows was Tom Mušić with 35. The best of the bowlers for Collegiate were Seth Bodill and Josh White with three wickets apiece.

Although the odds were severely stacked in favour of Collegiate, The Willows side managed to put on the pressure and claim early wickets. At 48/3 The Willows were gaining momentum, but were stopped in their tracks by Hunter Lithgow who batted through scoring 64 not out and securing the win for Whanganui Collegiate. Hunter’s innings was made at a rate better than a run a ball and contained ten fours. Overall it was a good day with the game played in the manner it should. The skill, spirit, and sportsmanship displayed by the young Whanganui team, both on and off the field, was very impressive.