Union and Albion had wins in the penultimate qualifying round of Dick Hunt trophy cricket on Saturday and with only one round remaining before the playoffs, are assured of a place in the final. Union beat Oamaru by 200 runs at King George Park while Albion at Weston beat Valley by seven wickets.
Oamaru asked Union to bat after winning the toss and although Union lost Ben Cant(12) early, Chris Smith(15) and Duncan Drew(21) saw Union through to 62 for one after 15 overs. With 20 overs remaining Union was balanced at 114 for four with Drew unbeaten on 43.Eight overs later Union was 160 for six with Drew still there on 62. Drew was finally dismissed for 70 but enter Phil(Chugger) Crossan.
Crossan smashed 57 runs from just 26 balls. This included six sixes and two fours before he was out for a rapid fire 57. Stu Dickinson chipped in with 21 and Paul Johnston added an unbeaten 20 as Union made 276 for nine in its 50 overs. Ben Coleman took four for 87 for Oamaru while Paul Selbie and Jordan Horrell took two wickets each.
Oamaru was bundled out for 76 in 21 overs with Crossan, Dan Conlan and Glynn Cameron taking two wickets each while Ben Cant claimed three for three off three overs. Valley decided to bat first against Albion after winning the toss and although openers Nick Webster(37) and Dean Malcolm(28) gave the side a solid start the remaining batsmen failed to build on it and the side was dismissed for 117 in the 32nd over . Brent 0'Connor took six for 20 off his ten overs while Gareth Duncan claimed three for 25.
Albion openers Johnny McMinn(45) and Peter Cartwright(36 not out made light of the chase cruising through to 118 for three after 27 overs. Hamish McKenzie took the three wickets to fall at a cost of 32 runs.
Short Scorecard(s)
Senior - Dick Hunt - Round 7
Oamaru Senior vs Union Senior at King George Park
Union Senior 276-9 ( D Drew 70, P Crossan 58, C Smith 27, P Johnston 21no, S Dickinson 21, B Cant 12, Coleman 4-87, Selbie 2-34, Horrell 2-46 )
Oamaru Senior 76 ( K Paterson 14, S Wilson 14, G Cunningham 11, Cant 3-3, D Conlan 3-19, Cameron 2-10, Crossan 2-43 )
Union by 200 runs
Albion Senior vs Valley Senior at Weston Park 1
Valley Senior 117 ( N. Webster 37, D. Malcolm 28, B. O'Connor 6-20, G. Duncan 3-25 )
Albion Senior 118-3 ( J. McMann 45, P. Cartwright 36no, H. McKenzie 3-32 )
Albion by 7 wickets