Otago Country scored a nine-wicket win over North Otago yesterday to take the lead in the Hawke Cup elimination series, with North Otago taking the minor points for a first-innings lead.
Otago Country, set 100 runs to win in three hours, knocked the total off in just over two hours with nine second-innings wickets in hand.
Leighton Morgan and Will Sommerville put on 68 in their opening stand before Sommerville was dismissed for 25, but Morgan, with an unbeaten 38, and Brendan Domigan (22 not out), took the side through to 100 for one in the 24th over.
Otago Country won the toss and sent in North Otago, which lost opener James Cutt with the total at 31.
Duncan Drew, who opened with Cutt, made 45, while Glynn Cameron scored 38 before North Otago slumped to 120 for four.
At 169 for eight it looked set for a low total but the tail, led by Craig Smith who hit 41, added an invaluable 87 runs before the final wicket fell at 256.
Russell Nevill took four for 42 and Cameron Rutherford three for 65. A third-wicket stand of 52 between Corey Blair and opener Sommerville took a stuttering Otago Country to 93, and it was only a 46-run partnership between youngster Scott Paulin and Jon Lovelock that enabled their team to finish its innings at 229, giving North Otago a first-innings lead of 27.
David Sewell and Craig Smith both finished with three-wicket bags.
North Otago provided only token resistance in its second innings, with only two players, Glen Paterson and James Ferris, reaching double figures as the side collapsed to be all out for 72, leaving Otago Country the target of 100 runs for maximum points.
Brendan Domigan, who scored a century against Southland the previous weekend, took five for 24, while Nevill took three for 22. - Terry O'Neill.
