Albion 115 for two by eight wickets
Black Caps test bowler Neil Wagner shredded North East Valley’s batting line-up with four for 20 to help set up an eight-wicket win for Albion.
Wagner is returning from a fractured finger and was unavailable for Otago, as it would have been too risky to bat if required. But he wanted an opportunity to bowl to help prepare for the first test against South Africa in Dunedin next month and got in 10 solid overs.
Wagner has one gear and charged in hard at Tonga Park. He beat the bat a lot and pitched the ball up more than he would at international level. He will face tougher opposition but it was good display from a player who has built a reputation as a tireless worker.
Josh Cuttance claimed three wickets but Dexter Marsh was perhaps the next best of the Albion bowlers with one for 24. He dismissed the in-form Masoor Khan for 16.
Sam McLachlan top-scored for Valley with 21 but its modest total of 110 proved a minor obstacle for Albion.
Josh Tasman-Jones was dropped in the slips without scoring but went on to blast an undefeated 54 from 27 deliveries. Albion overhauled the total in the 11th over with eight wickets in hand.
Taieri 270 beat
Carisbrook-Dunedin 141 by 129 runs
Otago pace bowler Jack Hunter has been struggling with illness during the last few weeks but found the energy to blast his maiden century at Brooklands Park on Saturday.
The 21-year-old slogged three sixes and 10 fours on his way to 107 from 112 balls.
It was his first 100 at any level and his innings provided the backbone of Taieri’s total of 270. It proved far too many for Carisbrook-Dunedin, which collapsed to be all out for a modest 141.
Hunter has been battling glandular fever and was unavailable for Otago’s first-class match against Northern Districts in Whangarei. But he fronted for Taieri on Saturday and his team will be glad he did.
He sent the ball flying in the direction of cow corner a lot and modestly suggested he got the best of the batting conditions.
He had good support from Jarrod Casey (38) and Jarryd Taig (27), and Cameron McAuslan chipped in with 25 at the top of the order.
Opening bowlers Richard Sillars (four for 41) and Kurt Johnston (two for 31) bowled well for Carisbrook-Dunedin. And with the bat Max Chu (41) and Kane McKay (43) put on 70 for the fifth wicket.
Once they were dismissed, though, the resistance fell away. Taieri won by a more than comfortable margin of 129 runs.
● The match between Green Island and Kaikorai was deferred until March 5.
