Southland opened its 2020-21 Hawke Cup campaign with a first-innings win against Mid Canterbury.
Two schoolboy stars were the heroes for Southland in the two-day fixture at Queens Park, in Invercargill.
Benji Culhane, of Southland Boys’ High School, scored a century (105) on debut and Finn Hurley, of Otago Boys’ High School, scored an equally valuable 81 from 85 balls.
Culhane was on debut while Hurley won a cap last summer. Both have starred at age-group levels with both Southland and Otago.
On Saturday morning Mid Canterbury won the toss and elected to bat. The visitors were 25 for two before a partnership of 89 from Ben Innes (31) and Des Kruger won some momentum. Kruger went on to score 112 and put the visitors in a commanding position. Captain William Southby chipped in with a patient 50 runs.
Southland opening bowler Kieran Lloyd had taken six wickets for 40 runs from his 13 overs. Southland was 16-1 when rain ended the first day’s play.
Southland got through to 50 runs before losing its second wicket yesterday. Rain interrupted the game for 90 minutes before lunch. When the chase resumed at 1.20pm, Hamish Cooke looked to be Southland’s hope. Cooke got to 43 before being caught. Hamish Skelt and Amarpreet Singh made minor contributions, but their dismissals left Southland in trouble at 122-6.
The schoolboys then came to the rescue and scored the 158 runs required to go past the visitor’s total of 279.
The boys’ partnership of 176 runs ended when they tried to quickly extend the lead. Southland was ahead by 51 when time was called on the match.
Southland coach Steve Jackson has a team in a rebuilding phase after a host of senior players either retired or moved out of the province after last season.
- Otago Country had a first innings win over North Otago at Oamaru yesterday.
Otago Country batted first on Saturday and was all out for 273. Caleb Carson scored 51 and Cam Jackson hit 50 while Ben Donkers took five wickets for 64 for the home side.
North Otago was 100 for four wickets at stumps on the first day and was then all out for 197 after lunch yesterday. Llew Johnson hit 69 and together with Donkers looked to get North Otago back in the game. But Donkers went for 62 and no-one else could provide any runs. Otago Country was 74 for five when the game was called off yesterday.
