A superb century from batsman Jarred Andrew and a fine all-round bowling performance has given Otago Country its first outright win of the Hawke Cup season, over Mid Canterbury in Ashburton.
Put in to bat by Mid Canterbury, the visitors made 227 before being all out mid-afternoon on Saturday. Andrew scored 102, batting at number five.
Queenstowner Sean Windle also played a vital role, scoring 47 at number nine. Mid Canterbury's Bevan Ravenscroft was the best of the bowlers finishing with figures of four for 46 from 17 overs.
The Mid Canterbury chase never really got started, as Otago Country bundled it out for 88. Windle picked up a five-wicket bag while Blake Buttar-Scurr and Mark Knox took two apiece.
Forced to follow on, Mid Canterbury's second innings got off to another shocking start and Buttar-Scurr had the home side at three for 3 at stumps.
Day 2 ended just before lunch, as Buttar-Scurr took six second-innings wickets for 13, five of them bowled, for a haul of eight in the match. Windle also bowled well again, taking another two Mid Canterbury scalps, to make seven in the game.
Bo Houston made 49 of his side's total of 79 in the second innings.
The win puts Otago Country at the top of the southern zone standings.
• South Canterbury beat North Otago by one wicket in a Hawke Cup warm-up game at Aorangi Park yesterday. Batting first, North Otago made 180 for nine off its 50 overs.
Francois Mostert top-scored with an unbeaten 42 and Jeremy Smith (33), Glyn Cameron (20), Jeremiah Shields (34) and Matt Day (26 not out) gave the innings some substance.
Bowling for South Canterbury, Kevin Teahen, making a comeback after a season off, took four for 31 off 13 overs.
Opener James Laming gave South Canterbury a fine start with an innings of 57 off 30 balls, including 11 fours.
With his demise it was left to Sri Lankan batsman, Pradodha Arthavidu to hold the innings together with an unbeaten 75, as South Canterbury lost the next five wickets for 49 runs, chasing 181 to win. Number 11 batsman Alex McDuff kept his cool and the pair found the vital 17 runs required.
North Otago left arm off spinner and captain, Jordan Horrell took four for 35 and Ben Cant claimed two for 27.
Additional reporting by Terry O'Neill.
