Otago Country cricketers gave themselves the afternoon off yesterday.
Country delivered a polished all-round performance to thump Mid Canterbury by an innings and two runs in the penultimate round of Hawke Cup zone 4 qualifying at Molyneux Park.
Home comforts clearly helped as the home side dismissed the visitors for 104 and 163 and managed 269 for nine declared in the only innings with the bat they needed.
Mason Clarke (three for 14) and Kevin Loggenberg (three for 33) led the Country bowling attack as Mid Canterbury’s first innings folded in the 31st over.
Opening batters Josh Shackleton and Hugo Bogue then scored handy innings of contrasting styles to get Country’s innings off to a solid start.
Shackleton’s 45 off 136 balls did not contain a boundary but Bogue — like Clarke, just home from the under-19 world cup — thumped five fours and a six in his 42 off 31 balls.
After a mid-innings falter, Country built a solid total thanks to Thomas O’Connor, whose 84 came off just 65 balls and included 11 boundaries.
O’Connor and Loggenberg (36) added 104 for the seventh wicket.
Des Kruger scored 62 in Mid Canterbury’s second innings, but O’Connor completed an excellent performance with five for 57 as the end came in the 50th over.
— Southland sealed their first win of the summer with an outright victory against North Otago at Centennial Park in Oamaru.
The visitors scored 236 in their first innings and then managed a chase of 154 in their second to win.
Southland won the toss and sent North Otago in to bat first.
The home side were bowled for 154. Captain Jeremy Smith top-scored with 42, while Southland bowler Sithum Bandara took four for 34 in 13 overs.
In reply, Southland batters Kieran Lloyd (40) and Jason Osborne (53) made handy contributions to put the visitors in front with 236.
North Otago bowler Jacob Fowler snaffled a bag with six for 99 in his 25 overs.
Hunter Growcott was in fine form in North Otago’s second innings.
He pushed 82 off 83 balls — including 12 boundaries — to put his side on the front foot, taking them to a total of 235.
Liam McFaul and Sam Nicholson both took four wickets each.
Lloyd (48) and Nick Brown (38 not out) laid the platform for Southland to chase 154 five down and seal the win.
