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Taieri 71 by 118 runs
Green Island’s Brad Wilson and Ant Harris opted to play a few shots against a good Taieri attack on a green seamer at Brooklands Park and their gamble paid off.
Wilson smashed 53 from 47 at the top of the innings and Harris added 69 not out from 82 deliveries. The pair accounted for the majority of the 189 Green Island was able to put on the board before the side was all out in the 38th over.
Jack Hunter, Brad Frost and Daniel Greenwood picked up three wickets apiece on a helpful surface Green Island coach Alun Kennedy felt was below standard.
"The grass was about as long as you might have on your back lawn," he said.
"We basically had to take the approach it was a matter of time before you actually got out so we decided to be quite positive. We felt anything over 150 would be plenty."
It certainly was, as Taieri slumped to be all out for just 71. Otago fast bowler Warren Barnes top scored with 22 not out from 23 deliveries but Taieri’s innings was most memorable for the five players who were dismissed without scoring.
Express left-armer Blair Soper carved his way through the top and middle order with five for 29, and Russell Ritchie took three wickets during his brief three over spell to complete the rout.
Kaikorai 135 beat
Albion 63 by 72 runs
Some lusty hitting from Jacob Duffy got Kaikorai out of trouble at 36 for five.
The Otago striker bowler then made a timely return to form to take three for 25 to help seal a 72-run win.
Duffy whacked 73 from 48 balls to help his side post a modest 135. But that total proved out of reach for Albion. It crashed to be all out for 63 in a low-scoring encounter at Tonga Park.
Kaikorai captain Geordie Scott felt the pitch was better than the scores suggested. He won the toss and batted but Albion opening bowler Michael Snedden took the initiative for his side.
He picked up the wickets of Adam Flegg, Rhys Bayly and Hamish Robertson in his first four overs.
When Duffy strolled out to bat, the team was still 14 runs shy of 50 and a defendable total seemed a long way away.
But he combined with Dan Sharples (43) in a partnership of 59 to help turn the innings around.
Snedden finished with four for 19 and Josh Tasman-Jones took three for 31.
Albion’s reply was quickly derailed, as left arm spinner Robertson removed key batsmen Teja Nidamanuru (6) and Tasman-Jones (8) cheaply. Regular Taylor Cumberland batted down the order at No 7 and top scored with 13 in a sorry scoreboard for Albion.
Robertson, Flegg and Duffy all took three wickets each.
Carisbrook-Dunedin 151 lost to
NEV 153 for three by seven wickets
North East Valley opening bowlers Michael Rae and Jamie Murley picked up nine wickets between them to help skittle Carisbrook-Dunedin for 151 at Tonga Park.
Rae, who is an Otago contracted player, took five for 51 from 12.4 overs, while Murley took four for 29 from 14 overs.
Carisbrook-Dunedin was only able to build one partnership of any note. Otago left-hander Michael Bracewell combined with fringe Volts batsman Sean Eathorne in a stand of 49 for the third wicket.
Murley removed the hard-hitting Bracewell for 25 but Eathorne continued the resistance, posting 78 from 85 deliveries to help get his side through to 151.
Rae did most of the damage in his second spell, trapping Eathorne lbw and running through the lower order, while Murley bowled straight and full and waited for mistakes.
After an initial hiccup, the chase proved fairly painless for Valley. Anaru Kitchen (51 not out) and Tom Griffin (36 not out) forged an unbroken stand of 70 runs for the fourth wicket.
Richard Sillars was the pick of the Carisbrook-Dunedin bowlers, with one for 18 from seven overs.