The Clutha Comets have taken control of the South Otago 40-over competition with a five-wicket win over the Kai Kings in Balclutha.
Kai posted a competitive 211 for eight.
An opening stand of 63 by Blair Benington and Orry Young set the platform before William Casey scored his third half-century of the season.
Casey held the innings together with 52 from 66 balls as the other middle-order batters failed to fire.
A cameo by Allan Thomson (36) towards the end of the innings pushed the Kings over 200 but they will still have felt they left some runs out in the field.
Clutha’s bowling attack put in an honest effort— Daniel Sutherland, Sam Mosley and Caleb Carson all picked up a pair of wickets.
In reply, Clutha lost talisman Caleb Carson in the first over, but Kelan Smith and Michael Hayes batted brilliantly together as they blunted the Kai bowling attack.
Smith was the aggressor and Hayes did a fine job of feeding him the strike as well as putting away the bad balls himself.
The two batted for 22 overs and added 135 for the second wicket before Hayes was dismissed for 36, his highest score in Comets colours. Smith followed three overs later for 87 off 65 balls.
A dynamic cameo from Scott McLaren (23) and some cool-headed batting from Phill Scott (15 not out) and Daniel Sutherland (17 not out) got Clutha home with two overs to spare.
Jason Young led Kai with two for 37 from his eight overs.
At Tuapeka Mouth, the Valley Stingers gave centurion Bevan McCall the best possible result with a crushing nine-wicket win over the Waihola Swans.
The Swans folded for a competition-low 41 in the 18th over.
Things started badly for Waihola when opener Ant Gorton was run out without facing a ball in the opening over.
Valley opening bowlers Ash Sharma and Richard Ray then tore through the order with three wickets each, leaving Extras as the leading contributor with nine.
Lachie Roy (23 not out) showed his power and also his defensive solidity as he led Valley to victory in the ninth over.
- Francis Parker
