The finalists have been decided in the South Otago Premier T20 competition after Saturday’s games.
The Waihola Swans and Owaka Bandits will face off in the final, while the Kai Kings and the Lawrence Lions will play for third.
The Owaka Bandits hosted the Clutha Comets on Friday night at Swamp Hen Park. The travelling Comets side won the toss and opted to bat first — which was very much the wrong decision.
Nathan White took the new ball and struck with his first delivery of the match; opener Sam Mosley was cleaned bowled and on his way. White then picked up the wicket of in-form batsman Caleb Carson on the third ball of the over. White also dismissed the dangerous Heath Faddeson and one other victim in his superb four-over spell.
He returned career-best figures of four wickets for three runs off four overs. Clutha never recovered from the early onslaught, and was bowled out for a dismal 39 runs in the 16th over.
Five of the Comets batsmen did not get off the mark. In reply the Bandits chased the total down in the seventh over for the loss of two wickets.
Jeremy Gray was the main contributor, with 27 not out. Michael Hayes picked up two Bandits wickets in two balls.
With the Bandits winning on Friday night, the equation was simple at the Wasp Nest in Tuapeka. Home side the Valley Stingers had to beat the Kai Kings to have a chance of making the finals. The travelling Kings managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and beat the Stingers by five runs in an action-packed match.
The Kings batted first and made a reasonable 127 for 4 off their 20 overs. Pat McKenna was the bright light in the Kings batting order; he timed the ball beautifully and hit some big sixes. He was dismissed for 69 with the score at 100 for 4.
Alfie Flame-Omelvena was again in wicket-taking form with the ball for Valley, picking up two wickets in two balls and finishing with two for 37 off four overs. Marc Phillips and Richard Ray took the other scalps for the home side.
The contest was fairly even for the early parts of the Stingers’ reply. The top three all got starts before Kai found its rhythm and pulled the game back into its favour.
Valley then once again found some form through the middle stages to turn the result back its way. A very useful partnership between Dave McCall and Marc Phillips looked to have won the game for the Stingers, with only eight runs needed from the last two overs. Kai stalwart Jason Young took McCall’s wicket with eight balls remaining. He then took Phillips’ wicket with the very next ball, leaving Valley five runs to get off the last over. Kings captain Mark Shepherd took the responsibility of bowling the last over and bowled a two-wicket maiden to give Kai the win.
McCall top-scored with 34, while Morgan Culbertson looked relaxed and played well for his 27. Young took three for 31 for Kai. Greg Webber returned two for 10 off four overs.The Lawrence Lions have handed the Waihola Swans their first loss of the competition, winning by three wickets at the Crab Grounds in Milton. Waihola batted first, and could only muster 87 for 9 off its 20 overs.
Tim Grant, in his first outing of the year for the Swans, top-scored with 32. Taylor Moeahu was next best with 25. Sam Wyber took a very impressive three wickets for three runs off his four overs, and effected an impressive run out at the start of the innings.
Lawrence chased the target down with one over to spare for the loss of seven wickets. Hayden Wyber finished on 36 not out, and brother Sam scored 19. Matt Whaanga, also in his first game of the season for the Swans, took three wickets for seven runs off his four overs.
- Francis Parker
