Strong top and bottom-order batting helped to extend Oamaru's perfect start to the North Otago cricket season on Saturday.
Josh Gutsell top scored with 43 runs, captain Ben Coleman produced 40 and Gerry Cunningham played a 36-run late innings cameo as Oamaru defeated St Kevin's College 1st XI by 51 runs in round three at Whitestone Contracting Centennial Park.
Oamaru reached 177 from 43.5 overs at their home ground at the Excelsior Club, before David Sewell and Mark Creighton combined to deny SKC any chance of a successful chase, dismissing the schoolboys for 126 from 39.5 overs, leaving Oamaru a perfect three-from-three.
After SKC's Ross Graham and Robbie Smith had Oamaru reeling at 23-3, Gutsell and Coleman paired in a 46-run fourth wicket stand. A mini-collapse saw them 116-7 before Coleman and Paul Selbie shared a 26-run eighth wicket partnership and Cunningham and Selbie put on 35 runs for the ninth.
Coleman, who had been scoreless in his previous two innings this season, hit 32 of his 40 runs through boundaries, five fours and two sixes. Cunningham hit four fours and two sixes, ruining Graham's fine figures in the process by taking him for 14 runs of his eighth and final over.
Graham ended with 3-28, while Peter O'Malley lead the SKC batting attack with 4-37 from 10 overs in the middle order while Brent O'Conner took the last two wickets, 2-25 from 7.5 overs.
SKC were able to defuse Sewell's quick in-swingers early, pacing to 62-1 before collapsing to lose five wickets for 10 runs to be 72-6. With the run-rate slowed, SKC toiled for the remaining overs, O'Conner notching up a career-best 21 runs before falling victim to a Selbie caught and bowled for the final out. Opener Sean Conlon top-scored with 26.
Sewell, who took 0-9 in his first five-over spell, came back to take 4-12 from his last five overs, while Creighton finished with 3-40 from 10 overs and Regan George 2-27 from five overs.
Oamaru, beaten semi-finalists last season, have started their 07-08 campaign with wins over Albion by 53 runs, Union by 87 runs and SKC by 51 runs.
Middle-order batsman and opening bowler Paul Odell was the star player for Albion in their tied match against Valley at the Showground's.
O'Dell came to the wicket with Albion struggling at 48-4 but batted the rest of the innings, scoring 31 not out, to see last year's beaten finalists through to 111 from 39.1 overs. He then grabbed 5-25 from 8.4 overs including the final wicket of James McNally, as Valley fell for 111 from 36.4 overs.
Extras were the second top-scorer for Albion as only three others scored in double figures on the improved Showground's wicket. It was worse for Valley, with the 24 extras top scoring by 6 runs. Four players - captain Nick Webster, Geoff Smith, Neil Gilbert and McNally - got starts for Valley but were undone by O'Dell, Daniel Fletcher and Blair Rawson at crucial times in the chase.
Union had little trouble getting by Waitaki Boys High School 1st XI at Milner Park, cruising to a 147-run win.
Openers Glynn Cameron and James Cutt put on 99 runs for the first wicket as Union reached 204-5 from their 45 overs before rolling a struggling WBHS for 57 in 27.1 overs.
Cutt top scored with 45 for Union, Thomas Shields added 43 and Cameron 42 in a solid batting effort, while Chris Ware was the only bowler to shine with 3-40 from eight. WBHS never got going in their chase, Glenn Paterson out in the first over. Mark Wilson and captain Paul Johnston shared figures of 3-11 while part time bowler Duncan Drew chimed in with 2-7 from three overs.

Weekends Short Scoreboards
Oamaru 177 (Josh Gutsell 43, Ben Coleman 40, Gerry Cunningham 36, Peter O'Malley 4-37, Brent O'Conner 2-25) St Kevin's College 126 (Sean Conlon 26, O'Conner 21, David Sewell 4-21, Mark Creighton 3-40, Regan George 2-27). Win to Oamaru by 51 runs.
Albion 111 (Paul O'Dell 31no, Byron Neale 3-35, Geoff Mavor 3-23, James Lovelock 2-24) Valley 111 (O'Dell 5-25, Daniel Fletcher 2-22, Blair Rawson 2-18). Match tied.
Union 204-5 (James Cutt 45, Thomas Shields 43, Glynn Cameron 42, Duncan Drew 20, Chris Ware 3-40) Waitaki Boy's High 1st XI 57 (Mark Wilson 3-11, Paul Johnston 3-11, Duncan Drew 2-7). Win to Union by 147 runs.
Union Senior Reserve 253 (Neville Donaldson 108, Andrew McCulloch 66, Mike Todd 22, Ricky Whyte 5-28, Ryan Welsh 3-42) Albion Senior Reserve 91 (Kelvin McFelin 42, Neville Donaldson 2-19, Todd Sidon 2-23). Win to Union Senior Reserve by 162 runs.