NEV 173 lost to Albion 175 for six
Albion secured its fifth consecutive win in the senior declaration and has an unassailable lead with one round remaining in the tournament.
The Eagles’ latest win was a four-wicket victory against North East Valley at Tonga Park on Saturday.
All-rounder Angus McKenzie played a key role with both ball and bat. He snapped up three for 32 to help dismiss North East Valley for 173.
He then anchored the chase with an undefeated 61 from 62 balls.
Former Otago all-rounder Sam Wells was instrumental as well. He was the pick of the Albion bowlers, with three for 16 from 13 overs.
The parsimonious right-armer added 33 with the bat in a valuable 84-run stand with McKenzie for the sixth wicket. Earlier, opener Josh Tasman-Jones got the chase off to a promising start with 42 from 52.
Travis Muller took four for 60 for North East Valley, and spare a thought for Valley opener Thorn Parkes.
He made a patient century but his 104 from 170 deliveries was part of a losing effort, nonetheless.
Uni-Grange 142 lost to Taieri 145 for two
Taieri recorded a comfortable eight-wicket win against a struggling University-Grange side at Brooklands Park.
The visitors could muster just 142 which was nowhere near enough. Cameron Elliott played pretty much a lone hand for University-Grange with the bat. He stroked three sixes and nine fours in a sparkling knock of 87 from 105 balls.
But he just had very little support from the rest of the line-up. The only other University-Grange player to get past double figures was Benedict Hardie with 14.
Seamer Tom Myles did the bulk of the damage for Taieri. His haul of four for 28 ensured Taieri would be chasing a modest target.
The chase was over in the 19th over. Otago all-rounder Dale Phillips top scored with an undefeated 47 from 30 balls, and the talented Beckham Wheeler-Greenall clouted 27 not out from 21 balls.
Openers Cameron Jackson (35) and Jake Foley (31) put on 56 for the first wicket.
Caris-Dunedin 143 lost to Green Island 144 for seven
Green Island veteran Mark Joyce celebrated his 400th game for the club with a couple of wickets to help the Swamp Rats defeat Carisbrook-Dunedin by three wickets.
The 37-year-old all-rounder missed out with the bat but nabbed two for 13 to help dismiss Carisbrook-Dunedin for 143 at Sunnyvale.
Joyce had gone into the game tied on 649 wickets with Grant Payne as the club’s second leading wicket-taker of all time.
The off spinner moved into outright second place when he removed Jack Pryde for 54.
He picked up his 651st wicket a couple of overs later, when Caleb Reeves offered a catch.
Joyce plans to retire at the end of the season, after 20 years at the club. He is only the second Green Island player to reach 400 games.
Geordie Scott (65) and Brad Kneebone (53) put on 123 for the first wicket to set a wonderful platform.
But Kurt Johnston removed both players with consecutive balls and completed a rare hat trick when he bowled Oliver Burbidge for a golden duck.
Johnston (six for 71) picked up three more quick wickets as Green Island threatened to capitulate.
