A classy bowling attack and an opening pair who relished the fast outfield of Centennial Park combined to outgun the North Otago cricket team in Oamaru at the weekend.
North Otago lost by an innings and 72 runs in their two-day Hawke Cup clash with Southland.
The home side was not comfortable with the aggressive bowling and were out for 134 runs in just the 44th over.
Their top scorer was Scott Simpson with 31 runs and next best was Daniel Fletcher on 17.
The Southland bowling pair of Fraser Wilson and Simon Murray ripped into the North Otago order their 12 overs in the first innings.
Wilson took five for 15 and Murray got three for 48.
Then, at around 1.30pm, came Southland's turn at bat. They stayed there for the rest of Saturday and when played ended at 7pm were 199 for four. Two of the wickets were in the last hour.
When the team resumed batting on Sunday they went on to declare at 342 for eight. Opening pair Brad Sutherland (87) and Darryl Williams (82) were outstanding with the bat and led the way for the team's huge total.
North Otago's Dan Fletcher grabbed three wickets for 47 and Paul Odell and Gavin Strachan managed a brace each.
North Otago were put into bat just as the day turned overcast, and it got progressively darker, not only weather-wise.
Fletcher opened, and was smartly closed down for a duck, leaving North Otago two for five early on.
Then just as captain Mark Patterson and Guy Metcalf looked to be settling in, Patterson was out lbw, on the last ball before lunch, for 18.
It was all over for North Otago from there and just a matter of time before the match ended, although Gavin Strachan and Craig Smith put up a middle order resistance and topped the scores at 29 and 23 runs respectively.
North Otago were all out for 136.
A dejected North Otago captain Mark Patterson said, "they batted well and we didn't".
The only positive Patterson took from the game was the two sides would meet again and his team may be able to redeem themselves.
Southland coach Steve Jackson on the other hand was pleased to get good weather and was impressed by the playing surface.
He said his team always bowled well, but were finally batting well too.
"It was a wonderful pitch and the guys appreciated the outfield."
Jackson thought North Otago were unlucky early in the Southland innings.
"They dropped catches on our openers early on and you just can't do that. They've got a young side and they will have learned that now."
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series
Southland vs North Otago at Centennial Park Oval, Oamaru
North Otago 134 ( S.A. Simpson 31, D. Fletcher 17, A. McCulloch 15, G.D. Smith 12, G. Strachan 12, Wilson 5-15, Murphy 3-48 ) & 136 ( G. Strachan 29, C.M. Smith 23, M. Patterson 18, G. Metcalf 13, B. Cooper 11, T. Cullen 11, Turner 4-27, Murphy 3-21 )
Southland 342-8dec ( B. Sutherland 87, D. Williams 82, M. Billcliff 46, G. Folster 40, T. McLean 34, D. Fletcher 3-47, P.M. Odell 2-53, G. Strachan 2-77 )
Southland won by an innings and 72 runs
Full scorecard for the match