A highly competitive North Otago team pulled of a gutsy performance against Otago Metropolitan at Awamoa Park yesterday, narrowly losing their final one day Fuji Xerox cricket game by two wickets.
On a dusty, slow batting wicket in cool conditions, the home team pressured the experienced Otago Metropolitan side into an uncomfortable position in the second innings to come within a hair's breadth of a win.
North Otago won the toss and set the zone six pacesetters chasing a modest 195 for victory, a target which was about 40 runs less than they had hoped.
After an early set back, losing Duncan Drew for a duck, Keith Gardner and Gerry Ward (47) combined to form a vital 70-run partnership for the second wicket, ending when Gardner (41) was bowled by former England test cricketer Matthew Maynard.
The left-handed Ward added 42 runs with Jason Mavor (25), when he edged a ball to wicketkeeper Matthew Sale off the bowling of Scott Waide.
Mavor's dismissal sparked a minor collapse with Mark Wilson (5) and Kel Mansfield (8) falling for uncharacteristically low scores.
However, Paddy Bleach provided a last thrust of inspiration with an innings of 18. His enthusiasm eventually got the better of him though, and as he launched into a shot he was stumped by Sale of former New Zealand pacer Aaron Gale.
New Zealand representative David Sewell, who became available for North Otago late last week, and Richard Sidon, finished unbeaten on seven and ten respectively. In seeing out the 50 overs, North Otago achieved their primary goal.
Waide, Gale, Alistair Neilson and Peter Wall each took two wickets.
In reply, Otago passed North Otago's total in the 45th over, but not without a few nervous moments.
They got off to a roaring start and had smashed more than 70 runs by the ten over mark.
However, North Otago's quiet persistence paid off and little by little they chipped away at the line-up which included a number of Otago representative players.
Southern Conference team member Mark Richardson was the first to be sent back to the pavilion, caught by Mansfield off Sewell, then a snappy caught and bowled by Bleach polished off number three batsman Cory Blair.
Otago Metro got through to 140 for five when the potency of right arm medium pacer Richard Sidon began to tell. Three wickets fell for the addition of 26 runs at Sidon made his presence felt. His commanding ten-over spell produced three for 38, Neil Rushton took two for 55 off 10 and Sewell one for 46 off 10. Bleach was in brilliant form, conceding just 16 runs in his 10 overs, and taking one wicket.
"We never had enough runs to win the game but we did well to get so close," player-coach Gardner said today.
"We ran out of steam at the end but most importantly we achieved some batting targets. In the second innings Otago took control of the game but we managed to chip a few out."
Gardner felt North Otago was well placed going into the three two-day games.
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Districts One Day Series - Round 3
Dunedin Metro vs North Otago at Awamoa Park, Oamaru
North Otago 194-9 ( G. Ward 47, K. Gardiner 41, J. Mavor 25, P.D. Bleach 18, J. Grubb 13, Gale 2-16, Waide 2-27, Neilson 2-32, Wall 2-37 )
Dunedin Metro 198-8 ( M.P. Maynard 52, J. Allen 34, A.J. Gale 23no, M.J. Hesson 15, R. Sidon 3-38, N.W. Rushton 2-55 )
Dunedin Metro won by 2 wickets
Full scorecard for the match