Pre-match

North Otago has named an unchanged lineup from the Otago Country game a fortnight ago which saw it take first innings points:
Jeremiah Shields, Ben Cant, Scott Simpson (wkt), Duncan Drew, Stephan Grobler (capt), Jordan Horrell, Glynn Cameron, Tim O'Malley, Tim McCormick, David Sewell and Chris Ware. Anthony Sewell is 12th man.

The record between the two teams is dominated by Southland but with the rise in competitiveness of North Otago in recent times the results have been more even. In the last two games in Oamaru, North Otago has had two outright victories, with a win by 8 wickets in 2010 (scorecard) and by 4 wickets in 2009 (scorecard) in two low scoring games.

As per usual Terry O'Neil has a good preview for the game in the ODT and can be viewed on the ODT website here, while a name familiar to Oamaru Brendon Egan, has provided an article from the Southland perspective for the Southland Times here.

From the feedback we got in the game against Otago Country, we shall endeavour to provide more score updates during the game and continue to write some commentary of the game at the end of each session or significant events.

News from the toss, Southland have won the toss and elected to field first so at 10.30am Jeremiah Shields and Ben Cant will look to get the home team off to the best possible start.

Day One

10.45: Jeremiah Shields is out bowled by Kotkamp for 5, North Otago 13-1. Stephan Grobler joins Ben Cant at the crease.
10.53: Stephan Grobler is out leg before wicket for 2 to the bowling of Beer, North Otago 20-2. Scott Simpson joins Ben Cant at the crease.
11.30: Scott Simpson is bowled by Kotkamp for 7, North Otago 47-3, Cant 21*. Duncan Drew joins Cant at the crease.
12.00: Score is 58-3, Ben Cant is on 25, Duncan Drew is on 7.
12.10: Ben Cant is caught by wicket keeper Duffy of the bowling of Pratley for 32. North Otago 72-4 with Duncan Drew 14 not out and Tim O'Malley joining him in the middle.
12.21: Tim O'Malley is run out for 3, North Otago 80-5. Glynn Cameron joins Duncan Drew (20) at the crease.
1.00: North Otago have gone to lunch at 100-5 with Duncan Drew (40) and Glynn Cameron (5) seeing them safely. Drew is 4 runs away from 2,000 runs for North Otago. For top run scorers click here
2.11pm: North Otago are 131-5, with Duncan Drew on 59 and Glynn Cameron on 6, an unbroken stand of 51.
2.24pm: Duncan Drew is out bowled for 60 of the bowling of Cooke, North Otago 138-6. Horrell joins Cameron (9) who put on 58 with Drew.
2.33pm: Two wickets have fallen, Cameron was bowled for 10 to the bowling of Cooke and Tim McCormick quickly followed for 0 again to the bowling of Cooke. Cooke bowling a double wicket maiden. North Otago now 139-8 with Horrell and David Sewell at the crease.
2.56pm: David Sewell is out leg before wicket to the bowling of Saika for 8. North Otago 155-9 with Ware now at the crease with Horrell.
3.12pm: North Otago are all out for 172 with Jordan Horrell being the last wicket to fall, caught by Prattley of the bowling of Kotkamp for 22. Chris Ware was not out with 1.
Tea: Southland are 26-0 with Wadsworth on 8 and Duffy on 15.
4.44pm: Duffy is out for 28, caught by Duncan Drew in the slips to the bowling of Chris Ware. Southland are 55-1, with Wadsworth on 16 and O'Brien batting at three.
5.02pm: Wadsworth has just been caught out to a good diving catch by Ben Cant for 23 of the bowling of Sewell. Southland are 65-2 with O'Brien on 5 and Shaun Fitzgibbon replacing Wadsworth.
5.43pm: Southland are 86-2 with O'Brien on 9 and Fitzgibbon on 12.
6.41pm: End of play for day, Southland are 127-2 with O'Brien on 18 and Fitzgibbon on 42.

Day Two

9.41am: After heavy rain this morning there will be a delayed start, covers coming off in 30 mins.
10.19am: Play to start at 10.45am, with times moved back 15mins to allow for the late start.
11.01am: David Sewell has taken two quick wickets to leave Southland 129-4. First O'Brien was caught behind by Scott Simpson for 18 then O'Connell was out leg before wicket for 2. In other news Tim O'Malley hasn't turned up to the ground yet as was unwell overnight. 12th man Anthony Sewell is on the field.
11.24am: Sewell has another, Folster out leg before wicket for 4. Southland now 135-5 with Fitzgibbon on 44 and the new batsman is Pratley. Sewells figures are 4-31 of 17 overs.
11.37am: Southland innings has truly been affected by the wobbles, Pratley has been run out by Grobler after a calling mishap. Southland 146-6, Fitzgibbon on 49 with Beer now at the crease.
11.55pm: Sewell has five and Fitzgibbon is out! Fitzgibbon caught Anthony Sewell bowled David Sewell for 55. Southland 157-7, Sewell has 5-39 of 20 overs
12.00pm: Sewell has another! Pratley out caught behind by Scott Simpson for 6. Southland 157-8, Six now for Sewell.
12.41pm: Despite an exceptional bowling performance by David Sewell, Southland has taken first innings points. Sewell took the ninth wicket with the score on 170, before Kotkamp and Cooke saw their side through a nervous few overs. Southland were all out for 181 with Sewell taking 8-56 of 24.4 overs, a new personal best in an innings while playing in North Otago colors.
1.17pm: North Otago are 17-0 at lunch with Ben Cant (14) and Jeremiah Shields (3) seeing them safely through. Another note on Sewells outstanding return it's the fifth best bowling performance by a North Otago bowler. For the list click here and scroll to Best Innings Bowling - For
2.26pm: North Otago are 34-1 with Ben Cant being the only wicket to fall for 19. Jeremiah Shields is currently on 9 and Stephan Grobler is on 5.
2.54pm: North Otago are 50-2 with Shields out leg before wicket to bowling of Saika. Scott Simpson joins Grobler (18).
2.56pm: Scott Simpson is out for 4. North Otago 54-3.
3.32pm: North Otago are 71-3, Grober is on 34 and Duncan Drew is on 12.
3.46pm: Cameron safely sees out the hatrick, North Otago 77-5, Grobler out for 36, Horrell out first ball, Kotkamp with both wickets.
Tea: North Otago are 106-5 with Duncan Drew on 30 and Glynn Cameron on 3. A minium of 42 overs left in the day.
4.52pm: Duncan Drew is out caught by Folster to the bowling of Kotkamp for 35. North Otago 117-6. McCormick comes in to replace Drew.
4.56pm: McCormick is out, bowled by Pratley for 1. North Otago now 120-7. David Sewell comes to the crease to Cameron (12).
4.58pm: Sewell is out failing to score, caught by Wadsworth to the bowling of Cooke. No sigh of O'Malley at ground so this could be last wicket for innings.
5.02pm: North Otago have declared at 123-8, Cameron was 13 not out and Ware 0 not out at the time of the declaration. Southland will have 38 overs to get the 116 runs required for outright victory.
5.14pm: Sewell continues from the first innings has Wadsworth caught by wicketkeeper Scott Simpson for 2. Southland 4-1.
5.31pm: Southland now 24-1.
5.47pm: O'Brien is out leg before wicket to the bowling of McCormick, Southland 32-2.
6.03pm: Dangerman Fitzgibbon is out for 13, bowled by Ware. Score is 42-3.
7.03pm: Southland has beaten North Otago by 4 wickets with opener Duffy 50 not out. Horrell was the main wicketaker for the innings with 3 wickets.