North Otago's bowlers put their team in a great position to beat Southland midway through the first day of their Hawke Cup cricket match at the weekend, but were let down by their batting
Southland's innings and 33 run victory at Queen's Park, Invercargill, earned them the right to play South Canterbury/Canterbury Country with the winner having the South Island challenge for the Hawke Cup.
According to the so-called experts the home side was expected to win the match without getting out of first gear, but someone forgot to tell the North Otago team.
Bowling first, North Otago had the home team in trouble as the crumbled to four for 15, with Valley's Craig Smith claiming three of the four wickets to fall.
Smith rose to the occasion and bowled his heart out, and along with captain Neil Rushton, gave his team a tremendous lift.
When Tim Geeves claimed the wicket of former Black Cap Jeff Wilson for none, Southland were six down for just 59 runs.
But that was as good as it got for the visitors because when Wilson was dismissed out walked Folster, who as captain decided to show his team mates how it was done.
Folster played one of this most important innings for Southland and gave his team a vice-like grip on the two-day match.
Of just 160 balls, Folster slayed the North Otago bowling to all parts of the ground as he complied 104 not out, including 16 fours.
Folster then decided to put North Otago out of their misery when he declared with the team on 227 for nine.
Smith finished with three for 62 off 24 overs, while Rushton chimed in with two for 46 of 21.4 overs.
North Otago probably wished Southland hadn't declared because their batting could be best described as ordinary as they collapsed to be all out for 75 late on the first day.
The batsmen will have nightmares for weeks to come about Mark Billcliff, who tore the heart out of their line-up as he finished with five for 18 of 12 overs.
Only Smith showed any resistance, finishing with unbeaten on 34.
Wilson showed why he is a world class athlete as he took four for 15, bowling at second drop.
North Otago had to face three overs in their second innings before the close of play on the first day and it was Wilson who made sure that their batsmen would have an uneasy night's sleep.
Opening the bowling, Wilson had Glynn Cameron trapped for lbw for two and Paul Johnston caught behind for one; with North Otago ending the day at seven for two.
Yesterday was little better for the visitors. Apart from Rushton (37) and Smith (43) there was little resistance as they capitulated to be all out for 119.
Wilson finished with three for 19 and Jonathon Hodson three for 26.
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series
North Otago vs Southland at Queen's Park, Invercargill
Southland 227 ( G. Folster 104no, M. Billcliff 25, N. Turner 22, D. Cocker 19, S. Brown 16, D. Williams 11, C.M. Smith 3-62, N.W. Rushton 2-46 )
North Otago 75 ( C.M. Smith 34no, A.B. Sewell 14, Billcliff 5-18, Wilson 4-15 ) & 119 ( C.M. Smith 43, N.W. Rushton 37, M. Creighton 11, Wilson 3-19, Hodson 3-26, Turner 2-23 )
Southland won by an innings and 33 runs
Full scorecard for the match