Albion 132 for four by six wickets
A spectacular catch by Jack Roberts swung the momentum the way of Albion at Culling Park as the host meticulously dispatched Kaikorai by six wickets.
After Kaikorai won the toss and elected to bat, Albion opening bowler Michael Snedden reduced the visitors to 12 for three, bowling Liam Cotton and inducing edges from Tim Burke and Rhys Bayly.
Kaikorai recovered through Josh Finnie and Geordie Scott (19) before losing two wickets to slump to 47 for five.
However, a steady partnership between Finnie and Josh Preston helped Kaikorai claw itself back into the match until Roberts chimed in.
Preston played a shot to the left of Roberts at midwicket, but Roberts launched himself up and left to haul in the catch and end Preston’s innings at 25.
Finnie pressed on, scoring an unbeaten 61 from 81 balls, including seven fours and a six, but Sam Wells (four for 33) kept striking at the other end, ending Kaikorai’s innings on 127 after just 31.4 overs.
The small total was always going to be hard for Kaikorai to defend at Culling Park, and Albion made it doubly difficult, putting together tidy partnerships to reach the total with just under 11 overs to spare.
Teja Nidamanuru compiled a tidy 38 at the top of the order from 55 balls before he went in the 17th over.
Wells (11) and Jack Harper (19) chipped in before Josh Tasman-Jones (31 not out) and Tim Ford (14 not out) steered the home side to the total.
Carisbrook Dunedin 255 for five beat
Taieri 129 all out by 126 runs
Carisbrook Dunedin could be the mover and shaker of this club cricket season, judging by its comfortable win over Taieri at Tonga Park.
The host got off to an awkward start, losing opener Henry Burns without a run on the board.
The loss of Anjas Bhogal for 14 reduced Carisbrook Dunedin to 23 for two, but that brought Sean Eathorne to the crease to join Ryan Duffy.
The pair put on 201 runs for the third wicket before Eathorne departed at 224 for three, for a well-compiled 86.
Duffy was not finished and scored plenty of runs through the mid-on and mid-off regions, ramping up his strike rate as the 50th over loomed, as the host reached a formidable total of 255 for five.
Bradley Frost was the best of the Taieri bowlers, snaring four for 27 from nine overs. Jack Hunter (one for 36) was Taieri’s other wicket-taker.
Taieri steadily lost wickets, largely thanks to the efforts of Carisbrook Dunedin opening bowler Richard Sillars.
The right-armer took four in his first spell before returning late in the piece to mop up the tail. Two of his victims were bowled, as Sillars found some movement in the air, but largely concentrated on good lengths.
Regan Flaws (25), Jarryd Taig (23) and Frost (26 not out) offered the most resistance, but Taieri was eventually all out for 129 in.
North East Valley 245 for six beat
Green Island 241 all out by four runs
A Derek de Boorder century provided the backbone for North East Valley’s tense four-run win over Green Island at Bayfield.
The Otago wicketkeeper was in a pugnacious mood during his 118-ball stay, hitting 10 fours and four sixes on his way to 104 and dispatched several balls into Andersons Bay Inlet.
Anaru Kitchen (23) and Anthony Wilkinson (58) got North East Valley off to a steady start, before de Boorder joined Wilkinson at 47 for two.
The pair put on 111 runs before Wilkinson’s departure in the 39th over.
Tom Griffin (20) joined de Boorder and they put on 69 runs in less than nine overs to boost the score to 227 for four when de Boorder was caught by Blair Soper off the bowling of Russell Ritchie.
Leg byes provided 15 runs, which would prove useful when North East Valley came to defend its total.
Ritchie was the best of the Green Island bowlers, taking three for 38.
Sam Blakely dismissed Green Island opener Gregor Croudis (6) in the first over, but Green Island steadily worked towards its target of 246 through Brad Wilson (80), Ant Harris (67) and Scott Simpson (22).
When Wilson departed in the 31st over, Green Island had 19 overs to score 105 runs.
Jack Pryde chipped away with an undefeated 38 but after getting through to 231 for seven, Green Island lost its last three wickets for 10 runs to finish agonisingly short with 1.3 overs left.
Sam McLachlan took three wickets, while Blakely and Jamie Murley took two each.
