North Otago completed its most successful Hawke Cup elimination round when it defeated Mid Canterbury by an innings and 62 runs.

In its three zone four games North Otago had recorded outright wins over Otago Country and Southland and beat South Canterbury on the first innings and is confirmed as the Zone four challenger.

Mid Canterbury won the toss at the Ashburton Domain on Saturday morning.

That joy increased as, after nine overs, North Otago slumped to 23 for three. But this confidence was short lived, as Ben Cant and Jeremy Smith produced a fourth-wicket stand of 211. Cant was eventually out leg before to Ryan Cockburn for 146, an innings that contained 22 fours and a six.

Smith was bowled by Richard Print for 71, with the total still at 234.

Young guns Brady Kingan (42) and Llewellyn Johnson (24) added 49 runs for the seventh wicket before the innings closed at 323.

Richard Print took three for 84 and Bevan Ravenscroft and Ryan Cockburn took two wickets each. Mid Canterbury's fortunes continued to dip in the final hour of the first day and at stumps it was 26 for four.

Mid Canterbury was dismissed on Sunday for a mere 71 and North Otago enforced the follow-on with a lead of 252.

Francois Mostert took five for 23 off 16.3 overs to give him his 10th five-wicket bag for North Otago, and Brad Fleming took two for 32.

The Mid Canterbury second innings concluded 20 minutes after the tea beak at 190, Des Kruger top-scored with 58 and James Southby added 36. Callum Gallagher, Bo Houston, Matt Tait and William Southby all made it into the 20s.

Bowling for North Otago, Stephan Grobler took five for 71 and Francois Mostert three for 16, to give him an eight-wicket bag for the match.

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series

North Otago vs Mid Canterbury at Ashburton Domain Oval, Ashburton
North Otago 323 ( B.C. Cant 146, J.B. Smith 71, B.J. Kingan 42, L.C. Johnson 24, A.P. Grubb 16, R.M. Print 3-84, B. Ravenscroft 2-17, B.C.J. Houston 2-31, R.N. Cockburn 2-40 )
Mid Canterbury 71 ( W.T. Southby 16, C.A. Gallagher 13, M.J.C. Winter 12, M.J. Tait 11, F. Mostert 5-23, B.J. Fleming 2-32 ) & 190 ( D. Kruger 58, J.M. Southby 36, M.J. Tait 25, B.C.J. Houston 23, W.T. Southby 22, C.A. Gallagher 20, S.F. Grobler 5-71, F. Mostert 3-16 )
North Otago won by an innings and 61 runs
Full scorecard for the match

Team Pages:
North Otago 2015-2016 |