North Otago played Metropolitan in the first game of country week which started in Dunedin yesterday. North Otago won the toss and batted first on a Logan Park wicket which was rather slow paced an inclined to play tricks all day.

R. Taiaroa, partnered by W. Kerr, opened briskly to set the scoring rate for the batsmen who followed, and by lunch the side was 110 on the board for the loss of four wickets. Taiaroa made 23 and W. Kerr 44 before being run out.

D. Malloch scored an aggressive 52 after being rather subdued early, P. McLean knocked up a quick 27, and M. Sandri, the last man out with the total at 234, made 25 with six strokes - two sixes, three fours and a single.

B. Sutcliffe with four wickets for 48 runs, and E.J. Stephenson, two for 36, were the most impressive bowlers.

Metropolitan early lost the wickets of K.D. Briggs and J.W. d'Arcy, who was troubled with a leg injury, but P.C. Semple took charge of the bowling with a fine display of aggressive stroke-making.

Partnered by M.H. Buckenham the score went from 33 to 90 before Buckenham was dismissed, and Semple was fourth man out with the total at 105, of which he made 63 in quick time.

Metropolitan was in trouble when the fifth wicket fell at 110, but Sutcliffe, 48 not out at the end of the day, and B. Papps (27) put the side in the picture again with a seventh wicket stand which was broken just before the close of play, when the score was 193 for seven wickets.

R. Paul took the bowling honours with four wickets for 58 runs and the misfortune of having Sutcliffe dropped. His new-ball partner, A. Cartwright, sent down some hostile deliveries but bowled without luck.