North Otago remains at the top of zone four after picking up eight valuable points when it registered a first-innings win over South Canterbury at Milner Park over the weekend.

North Otago won the toss and asked South Canterbury to bat on Saturday. Honours in the first hour belonged to the North Otago bowlers, as they took four early wickets to have the visting side 56 for four.

Prabodha Artavidu (91) and Glen Drake (56) set about resurrecting the innings and the pair featured in a fifth wicket stand of 118 before Artavidu fell with the score at 174. The South African duo of Francois Mostert (seven for 60) and Stephan Grobler (three for 61) wrapped up the innings at 223.

North Otago lost opener Duncan Drew at 26 but promoted opener Ben Cant raced through to a half-century after No 3 Grobler went cheaply.

However, at 89, Cant shovelled back a catch to Jack Harper and one run later, Mostert was leg before to left-arm spinner Sam Carlaw to leave North Otago 90 for four.

Teenagers Jeremy Smith and Brady Kingan added 38 runs before Kingan was out leg before to Stanley Mair. At stumps, Smith was unbeaten on 38 and North OTago was 139 for five.

Smith and Llewellyn Johnston continued their partership, the pair producing a sixth wicket stand of 68 before Smith, who hit 13 boundaries, was bowled by Craig Hinton for 81.

Youngster Johnston took over Smith's role and with Jordan Horrell (30) added 49 for the eighth wicket before North Otago's first innings closed at 278, a lead of 55. Johnston was unbeaten on 55, which included seven fours. Stanley Mair and Sam Carlaw took three wickets each for South Canterbury.

South Canterbury's second inning started disastrously, when Smith clean bowled Adam Beck with his first ball of the second over.

After lunch, South Canterbury lost three further wickets to be four for 53. Jack Harper and Glen Drake produced a fifth-wicket stand of 93, before Drake was dismissed for 57.

Harper continued to dominate the bowling and although Nick Horsley and Sam Carlaw went out cheaply, Stanley Mair (23 not out) and Harper (103 not out) saw the side through to 230, a partnership of 60, before South Canterbury declared at 230 for seven, leaving North Otago the task of scoring 176 to win in 23 overs.

The match was called to a premature end after North Otago had faced nine overs and was 30 without loss. Duncan Drew was 11 not out and Ben Cant 19 not out.

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series

South Canterbury vs North Otago at Milner Park 1, Oamaru
South Canterbury 223 ( E.L.P. Arthavidu 91, G.A. Drake 56, W.A.C. Wright 18, N.K.W. Horsley 13, F. Mostert 7-60, S.F. Grobler 3-61 ) & 230-7dec ( J.L.F. Harper 103no, G.A. Drake 57, P.P. Lill 24, S.G. Mair 23no, B.C. Cant 2-39, J.B. Smith 2-52, F. Mostert 2-61 )
North Otago 278 ( J.B. Smith 81, L.C. Johnson 55no, B.C. Cant 53, A.J. Horrell 30, B.J. Kingan 17, D.J. Drew 11, S.G. Mair 3-46, S.J. Carlaw 3-62, J.L.F. Harper 2-52 ) & 30-0 ( B.C. Cant 19no, D.J. Drew 11no )
First innings win to North Otago
Full scorecard for the match

Team Pages:
North Otago 2015-2016 |