Friday, 6 February 2026

Bandits pip Crabs, Comets wiped

    By Nick Brook
    1. Regions
    2. South Otago

    Flowing follow-through added to Waihola Swan’s Jared ‘‘JC’’ Cunningham’s miraculous accuracy....
    Flowing follow-through added to Waihola Swan’s Jared ‘‘JC’’ Cunningham’s miraculous accuracy. PHOTOS: NICK BROOK
    The Owaka Bandits claimed a six-wicket win over the Milton King Crabs as the South Otago 40-over competition moved into its second round on Saturday.

    Milton were asked to bat and were bowled out for 137 in the 38th over, before Owaka chased that down inside 27 overs.

    Owaka opening bowler Will Clark took two early wickets to put pressure on the hosts, before a 97-run third-wicket partnership from Braden Adams and Corey Bradley put Milton in the driver’s seat.

    The pair ran well between the wickets and guided Milton to 86 for two at drinks, before Adams edged one through to keeper Reece Pullar on 49 off the bowling of Jeremy Gray.

    Bradley followed soon after for 42 off the bowling of Francis Parker.

    Gray and Parker then tore through the lower order to restrict Milton to a score that could have been a lot bigger after their strong start.

    Cunningham first clipped Clutha’s Macleod Glaister.
    Cunningham first clipped Clutha’s Macleod Glaister.
    Parker finished with four wickets for 15 runs off seven overs, while Gray managed three for 23 off eight.

    Gray began Owaka’s chase with a six, before Bradley took his wicket with the second ball.

    Bradley took another wicket in his next over, before Jacob Jenkins took two more to leave Owaka reeling at 16 for four.

    However, Sam Bastin was joined at the crease by Parker and the pair delivered an unbeaten match-winning partnership of 122.

    Parker finished with an unbeaten 60, while Bastin was 50 not out.

    Bradley had Milton’s best bowling figures with two for 30.

    A nine-man Clutha Comets outfit suffered perhaps the biggest loss in local cricket history.

    Comet Connor Davey’s boundary-bashing aggression was sharply shut down by Cunningham, in the same...
    Comet Connor Davey’s boundary-bashing aggression was sharply shut down by Cunningham, in the same over.
    They were bowled out for just 10 runs, in the ninth over of their match against the Waihola Swans at the Balclutha Showgrounds.

    Opening bowlers Jared Hayes and Jared Cunningham took seven wickets between them for Waihola, Hayes taking five for five.

    Connor Davey top-scored with three runs in what was an unbelievable 20 minutes of cricket.

    In reply, Dylan Bungard and Craig Gordon got Waihola home in just 10 balls.

    The two teams mixed up and played a T20 match afterwards.

    In the last match the Kaitangata Kings chased down their target in the final over, to beat the Valley Stingers by two wickets.

    Valley scored 245 for five, Lachlan Johnston top-scoring with 60.

    In reply, Allan Thomson notched an unbeaten 104, finishing with a six and a four to take Kaitangata to their target in the final over.

     

    Clutha Leader