The Volts squad members each shone as they represented their respective regions in the opening round of the Hawke Cup at the weekend.
O’Connor was superb with the ball as his Otago Country men claimed first-innings points against Johnson’s North Otago at Molyneux Park.
After Country rattled up 304 in their first dig, they dismissed North Otago for 237, and that is where the game ended.
O’Connor, 21, has two first-class and two List A appearances for the Volts, and it seems likely he will get another chance before too long.
He led the Country attack with the excellent figures of five for 34 off 18.5 overs on his home track.
Among his victims was the hard-hitting Johnson, but not before the experienced Otago man had cracked a ton.
Johnson made the most of a relatively rare appearance — just a second in five summers — for his home North Otago province with a magnificent 106, his second Hawke Cup century.
Johnson had smashed eight fours and a pair of sixes when he was bowled by O’Connor.
Liam Direen (26) and Stephan Grobler (24), the latter playing his 50th game for North Otago, helped nibble away at the target but it was not enough.
Earlier, Otago Country produced a reasonably balanced effort to pass 300, always a significant total in Hawke Cup cricket.
Classy top-order batter Taylor Cumberland (68) and Sukhdev Singh Sandhu (51) put on 81 for the third wicket, and there were good contributions down the order from Charanjeet Singh (54), Toby Gallie (35 not out), Jack O’Connor (20) and Fred Gordon (20).
Cameron Grubb led the North Otago attack with four for 69, Grobler took two wickets, and youngster Billy Wilson marked his debut with two for 45.
In the other zone 4 game, Mid Canterbury beat Southland by five wickets in Ashburton.
Southland were rolled for 143 and 171, and after scoring 233 in their first innings, Mid Canterbury eased to 85 for five to wrap up victory.
Lachie Jemmett took 10 wickets for the match and Jack Middleton nine for Mid Canterbury, while Des Kruger scored 85 in the home side’s first innings.
Ben McCall’s six for 48 and half-centuries for Sam Downing and Nick Brown highlighted Southland’s weekend.
