Southland's senior club cricket competitions got under way last Saturday for the 2023-24 season.
The premier 50-over competition only features five clubs this summer after the Metropolitan Tigers were not able to field a competitive team.
The first five weeks of this one-day competition is reduced to 40-over contests. The weather wiped out round one games but round two produced some quality individual performances.
Waikoikoi beat Marist by 25 runs at Miller St in Invercargill. The visitors batted first and scored 244 for the loss of just four wickets from their 40 overs.
Ryan McFaul scored the first century of the competition with an unbeaten 112 off 107 balls. Ashleigh Harrison scored an unbeaten 34 while opening batsman Welby Reed had earlier earned 38 runs.
Marist produced a good run chase with Shaun Fitzgibbon (101) also scoring a century, while Thomas McCabe was unbeaten on 55 when Marist ran out of overs.
Last season’s beaten finalists Old Boys beat Southland Boys’ High at the school by eight wickets.
Old Boys bowled out the hosts for just 84 in 29 overs. Opening bowler Blake Buttar-Scurr did the damage with six wickets for 21 runs. Blake took the second wicket of the match and then dismissed the next three batsmen for first ball golden ducks to have the hosts 16 for five.
Number three batsman Jack Claridge was unbeaten on 31 when the school’s innings was wrapped up.
Chris Case (35) and Brendan Domigan (15) were at the crease when Old Boys reached the total in the 10th over.
The defending champions Appleby had the bye last week but will get their campaign under way on Saturday when they head out into the country to play Waikoikoi.
Marist will take on Old Boys at Queens Park, while Southland Boys High School has the bye.
In division one Te Anau will host Wyndale, while the Royal Riders and Central Western will play on Appleby’s second field. Blue Mountain will host the Metro Cubs at the college.
- By John Langford
