The North Otago cricket team were left rueing a poor catching performance as they were defeated by Southland by one wicket in a one-day game in Dunedin yesterday.
The nail-biting loss was the closest North Otago has come to beating the Southlanders in more than a decade, and one which left the team feeling "gutted".
Needing 15 runs to win, Southland had several overs and two wickets in hand when North Otago seamer Neil Rushton polished off the eighth and ninth wickets, leaving North Otago tantalising close to an upset.
But the four dropped catches in the last ten overs helped Southland scrape home, and left North Otago lamenting a wasted opportunity.
North Otago has taken several hammerings from Southland in the past, and yesterday, knowing the opposition fielded Otago players Paul Henry and Michael Lamont and Canterbury's Darron Reekers, the side was counting on an uphill battle.
North Otago won the toss and elected to bat, amassing a modest 187 all out in their 50 overs.
They were put under pressure almost immediately when opener Duncan Drew was caught at first slip by Lamont off the bowling of medium pacer Craig Reid for four.
Minutes later, player/coach Keith Gardner (9), was also snapped up by Lamont off the bowing of Michael Ramsey, leaving Gerry Ward and Chris Cunningham to stabilise the innings.
Ward (26) and Cunningham (19) overcame a tentative start to guide North Otago to 67 for three, when Ward ran himself out calling for a quick single.
However, the pair had paved a smoother path for Mark Wilson (43) and captain Kel Mansfield (21), who added 74 runs for the seventh wicket. Wilson's knock included three massive sixes, two of them smashed over the fence down long off.
However, his innings ended abruptly when he drove a ball forcefully and was caught at mid off by Ramsey, of Reed.
Mansfield saw the wickets of Jeff Grubb (0) and Paddy Bleach (11) fall, then he too was sent on his way, bowled by Reekers. Neil Rushton was left unbeaten at the crease on five when the last batsman, Richard Sidon (3), was run out on the last ball.
In reply, Southland made a promising start wit Greg Davis and Reekers putting on an opening stand of 48, when Reekers was trapped leg before.
Gardner said today that North Otago seemed to be anticipating a loss after seeing Southland bat through the first ten overs.
However, the wickets began to fall in the wake of a brilliant mid-innings spell by Paddy Bleach and a win gradually became more of a reality.
Davis fell leg before to Bleach just seven runs short of his 50, and shortly after, superb fielding on the boundary by Warren McSkimming had Shane Brown run out for 12.
Kristan Johnstone (20 not out) held the innings together as Bleach and Rushton polished off the last two batsmen. However, Reed and Johnstone resisted, getting Southland safely home.
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Districts One Day Series - Round 1
Southland vs North Otago at Tonga Park, Dunedin
North Otago 187 ( M. Wilson 43, G. Ward 26, K.J. Mansfield 21, C.K. Cunningham 19, P.D. Bleach 11, Reed 3-44, Freeman 2-18 )
Southland 188-9 ( G. Davis 43, M.J. Lamont 28, D. Reekers 27, B. Freeman 25, K. Johnstone 20no, S. Brown 12, P.D. Bleach 3-23, N.W. Rushton 2-48 )
Southland won by 1 wicket
Full scorecard for the match