David Sewell

After a drought of 14 seasons Otago Country regained the Hawke Cup when it defeated the holders North Otago at Whitestone Contracting stadium yesterday.

For Otago Country captain Brendan Domigan it was a rather bewildering time.

"The impact will be huge. I've been playing for 12 seasons now and this is the first challenge so I can't really explain just yet what it really means to me. Cricket in general in Otago Country needs something like this. It will get at a lot more people following our club cricket simply because we've got the cup in a cupboard."

But it was not until the middle of the third and final day that Domigan felt that the game had swung Otago Country's way

"We were always optimistic but North Otago played well particularly in the middle stages with Matty (Machan) and Marcel (McKenzie) and we knew they were the key wickets. Matty was offering a few chances and to get Marcel immediately after was a bonus. After that we thought we had one foot in the door."

North Otago started the third and final day 48 for two but lost night-watchman David Sewell for five after the addition of 27 runs with Matt Machan who was to prove to be the anchorman of the home side's innings. Sean Eathorne went for five with the total at 91 caught behind off the bowling of Cameron Rutherford. This brought together Machan and the experienced Marcel McKenzie. This pair featured in a sixth wicket stand of 115 before Machan fell caught on the offside playing an uppish shot soon after the arrival of the new ball for a superb 130. Machan faced 225 balls in his 297 minute innings and hit 18 fours. Without any addition to the score McKenzie was caught in slips for 29 and at 206 for six chasing Country's 236 hopes of retaining the Hawke Cup began to slip away. The last four wickets fell for the addition of a further 45 runs.

Rutherford led the way for Otago Country taking three for 50 off 20 overs while Eric Standfield and Fraser Wilson took two wickets each.

Heavy rain early on Saturday morning saw play delayed until 1.00p.m. on the second day of the Hawke Cup challenge between holders, North Otago and Otago Country after play on the first day was called off at 2.29p.m. because of light rain.

Otago Country started its second day at 177 for four and Fraser Wilson and Cameron Rutherford added 50 runs in the first hour of play to take Otago Country to 227 for four and the pair continued to dominate the North Otago attack before Wilson was leg before to David Sewell for 53, the pair featuring in a fifth wicket partnership of 127.Rutherford went 12 runs later just 16 runs short of his century. The last four wickets added 36 runs before the innings closed at 336.

Left arm off spinner Jordan Horrell looked the most effective of the North Otago bowlers taking three for 71 off 24 overs while all-rounder Ben Cant took the wickets of Breen, Pyle and Knox to finish with three for 42 off 15 overs.

North Otago lost two wickets in the 110 minutes before stumps on the second day with Cant leg before to Rutherford for 11 with the total at 16 and fellow opener Jeremiah Shields out in similar fashion to Eric Standfield for 7 with the total at 48. At stumps Matt Machan was on 32 and David Sewell yet to score with the holders 48 for two.

Otago Country's second innings ended when both captains, Brendan Domigan and Sean Eathorne agreed that further play was pointless at 4.30p.m. yesterday afternoon.

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Hawke Cup - Defence

Otago Country vs North Otago at Whitestone Contracting Stadium, Oamaru
Otago Country 336 ( C.I. Rutherford 84, B.J. Domigan 68, F.A. Wilson 53, P.J. Breen 42, J.J. Andrew 25, E.L. Standfield 18, B.C. Cant 3-42, A.J. Horrell 3-71, D.G. Sewell 2-63 ) & 46-1 ( P.J. Breen 30no, J.W. Pyle 11no )
North Otago 251 ( M.W. Machan 130, M.N. McKenzie 29, G.R. Cameron 17, B.C. Cant 11, C.I. Rutherford 3-50, F.A. Wilson 2-13, B.J. Domigan 2-40, E.L. Standfield 2-49 )
First innings win to Otago Country
Full scorecard for the match

Player Pages:
Ben Cant | Jordan Horrell | Matt Machan | Marcel McKenzie | David Sewell | Jeremiah Shields |

Team Pages:
North Otago 2010-2011 |