Southland earned a well-deserved outright win over Otago Country at Molyneux Park over the weekend, outplaying the home side in most facets of the game.
Rain delayed the start of play for 40 minutes on Saturday morning. When it cleared, Southland captain Shaun Fitzgibbon called correctly and chose to bat.
Southland was going quite nicely and had reached 124 for two in the over before lunch then lost Amarpreet Singh for a very good 77.
Singh had scored freely, hitting nine fours and one six.
He brought up his 50 off 54 balls and looked in control until he was clean bowled, becoming one of Sam Blakely’s five wickets. Otago Country turned it on after lunch and snaffled the remaining seven wickets to end the Southland innings after a further 28.2 overs for 214.
Hamish O’Brien with 38 and new cap Kurt Thompson 34 were the only other scorers of note. Blakely ended with five for 59 off 16 overs, in a great return to Hawke Cup cricket. He was ably assisted by Tom Myles, who continues to impress at this level, with four for 43 off his 15.3 overs.
Otago Country was disappointing with the bat and only the vastly experienced Jarred Andrew, with 67, showed any discipline. Captain Fraser Wilson was the only other Country batsman to reach 20. All the Southland bowlers picked up wickets and reduced the host to nine down for 140 at stumps on day one. It only took one ball on the second morning for Southland to start its second innings with a lead of 74.
Southland chased the runs hard in its second turn at bat to set up a declaration, which came mid-afternoon on day two, on 269 for seven, off 44 overs.
Singh completed a good double for the game, finishing on 110, off 87 balls. Fitzgibbon showed his class with a well-compiled 50. All the Country bowlers took a bit of tap but Captain Wilson ended with four for 52, off nine overs.
Otago Country had the unlikely task of chasing 345 off a minimum of 60 overs, at 5.74 runs per over. The chase started in the worst possible way and both openers had gone inside three overs. A 56-run fourth-wicket partnership between Tim McCormick (39) and Jarred Andrew (19) gave the local supporters some hope but when the both fell with the score on 95 the home side went in to survival mode.
An excellent captain’s knock of 0 not out off 119 balls by Wilson was not enough to halt the Southland charge to outright points and the last Otago Country wicket fell with a couple of overs left. Kurt Thompson was the most successful of the Southland bowlers, taking four for 12 off 9.3 overs.
- Malcolm Jones
