There were two comfortable wins and a default for South Otago cricket faithful after the first weekend of their 40-over competition.
Defending champions Owaka carried on their T20 form with a 10-wicket win over Milton in Owaka.
Milton opted to bat and were dismissed for 125 in the 39th over.
After the early loss of skipper Jacob Jenkins, the experienced combination of Corey Bradley and Ben Cameron forged a defiant partnership.
Shortly after the recess, Bradley was caught off the bowling of Hayden Sheppard for 15 with the score just over 60.
Cameron tried to accelerate the run rate but was bowled by Sam Bastin for 39, and 88 for three soon became 97 for six as Owaka slow bowlers Bastin and Jeremy Gray tore through the middle order before skipper Quentin Gare mopped up the tail.
Bastin, Gray and Gare all took three wickets each.
Cameron top-scored for Milton with 39 and Tim Martin had a nice cameo of 25.
In reply, Owaka openers Jeremy Gray and Gordon Edwards knocked the total off inside 18 overs with their wickets intact.
Gray punished anything short or loose, while Edwards was dropped early but made up for it with some strong strikes to bring up his 50 shortly before the runs were chased down. Gray finished on 62 with Edwards on 54.
Milton opening bowler Corey Bradley finished with tidy figures of none for seven off five overs, while 13-year-old Ned Scott had both Owaka batters in trouble at times and recorded none for 21 off three solid overs.
Kaitangata beat the Valley Stingers by 172 runs with two brothers stealing the limelight for the home side.
Kaitangata batted first and recorded a whopping 260 for six from their 40 overs.
The start of the show was opening batter Orry Young, who struck his maiden century for the Kings.
An 80-run partnership with William Casey (30) was followed by a 66-run partnership with Michael Hayes (29).
Young was happy to rotate the strike but punished any wayward bowling to the boundary, and another substantial partnership of 80 runs with Daniel Sutherland (30) pushed Kai over the 200 mark with overs left in the tank.
Young was the final wicket to fall for Kai for 118, including 13 fours and a six. Marc Phillips was the pick of the Valley bowlers with two for 45 off eight overs.
In response, brother Jason Young put his hand up for the home side.
Young opened the bowling, taking seven for 21 off seven overs as Valley were reduced to 31 for eight at one stage.
Clutha defaulted to Waihola, which was not the best start to the 40-over campaign for the Comets.
— Francis Parker
