After looking to have blown its chances during the first afternoon's play, the Southland cricket team stormed back to score a resounding eight-wicket win over North Otago in the Fuji-Xerox Cup zone six elimination game in Invercargill during the weekend.

Batting first after winning the toss, North Otago built its innings around opener and player-coach Keith Gardner. He batted through the innings to be unbeaten on 65 when the final wicket fell in the 92nd over with the total at 181.

Fellow opener Duncan Drew (36) and 26 from Gerry Ward also assisted the visitors cause.

But after the lunch break, the Southland bowlers struck back with medium pacer Darren Reekers snaring five for 35 during an impressive 20.4 over spell. Off-spinner Shane Brown lent fine support with four for 38.

But any thoughts of the target being a "cake walk" for Southland were quickly dispelled by pace bowlers Neil Rushton and Richard Sidon backed up later by Warren McSkimming. The trio wreaked havoc as Southland slumped to 61 for six before steady rain forced a two-hour delay.

"We were in a really good spot," Gardner said. "We had a very good batting side in trouble. We went back out expecting to have them under pressure but they really attacked us which is something we hadn't expected."

Hampered by the damp ball when resuming at 7.10pm, North Otago lost the initiative as Reekers and Paul Henry combined in a rapid fire 79-run partnership, Reekers reaching 43 off as many deliveries (2 sixes, 5 fours) and Henry equally punishing on his way to 38 (1 six, 3 fours).

Both were dismissed by stumps with Southland recovering to be 142 for eight but yesterday morning Michael Ramsay, Stu Lang and Craig Reed combined to effectively add 42 runs to the total and take Southland ahead by three runs.

McSkimming ended with four for 30 with Rushton and Sidon claiming three wickets apiece.

In an amazing change of fortunes during its second turn at bat, North Otago lost Gardner, Drew and Ward before getting credit and in less than 30 overs Southland had wrapped up the innings for a paltry 56 with Chris Cunningham's 14 being the only double figure contribution.

Only four boundaries were struck during the debacle, the team having to do without the services of debutante Reece McRae, who suffered a broken finger when batting on Saturday.

Reekers, the former Canterbury Shell Cup player, capped off a great debut for his new province taking four for 35 to give him nine wickets for the match to go alongside his 43 with the bat.

Ramsay (three for 14) and Reed (two for 20) also joined in the act with the ball.

Southland lost the wickets of Brown and Greg Davis before reaching the 54 run target, Michael Lamont leading the way with an unbeaten 24 (2 sixes).

"We made it hard on ourselves and batted poorly in the first innings but he partnership between Darren and Paul couldn't have been better timed," Southland captain Rodney Tait said.

"It took the initiative away from North Otago and when our tailenders took us ahead this morning, you could sense the fight going out of them," he said yesterday.

Gardner said North Otago needed to show a bit of mental toughness. "There were several pleasing factors - we were 102 for two in our first innings at bat and we set 181, which was a reasonable target, and when we started off bowling our seamers were sensational. But was rugby people say you've got to play for the full 80 minutes. We played well for not even half the time in the game."

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Fuji Xerox Cup - Zone Series

North Otago vs Southland at Queen's Park, Invercargill
North Otago 181 ( K. Gardiner 65no, D.J. Drew 36, G. Ward 26, W.C. McSkimming 15, Reekers 5-35, Brown 4-37 ) & 56 ( C.K. Cunningham 18, Reekers 4-17, Ramsay 2-14, Reed 2-20 )
Southland 184 ( D. Reekers 43, P. Henry 38, M. Ramsey 17no, C. Mckenzie 15, S. Laing 13, W.C. McSkimming 4-30, N.W. Rushton 3-61, R. Sidon 3-74 ) & 54-2 ( M.J. Lamont 24no, G. Davis 17 )
Southland won by 8 wickets
Full scorecard for the match