Put into bat by Otago Metropolitan on pitch that would have appeared to favour the batsmen, North Otago made a disastrous start losing opener David Reid to the third ball of the first over from Peter Hills, leg before.

The rot set in and after 24 overs North Otago was 23 for the loss of five wickets with Nigel Cartwright, the other opener, going for five, with the total at seven.

Ashley Flannery was out five runs later without scoring and then further disaster stuck in the twenties when skipper, Graeme Ballantyne went for six with the total at three for 12.

Kelvin Mansfield was brilliantly caught by Allan Bligh at mid off for no score and North Otago was 23 for five.

Norm McKenzie and John Hills, who came in at first drop, added some sanity to the batting and the pair put on 55 for the sixth wicket , an indication of what concentration could produce.

McKenzie was finally out with the total at 78, for the top score of 27.

John Hills went two runs later and the side was finally all out for 103 scored in 48 overs an four balls.

The Otago bowling was tight with the North Otago batsmen limited to only seven boundaries in the innings.

Phil Young, former Otago rugby flanker, finished with the outstanding figures of four for 36 off nine overs while left armer Peter Hills was North Otago's nemesis finishing with four for 27 off nine overs and four balls.

Kassem Ibadulla's tempting line and length added to the frustrations of the North Otago batsmen and he finished with the extraordinary figures of one for seven off 10 overs.

Kevin Gallivan took one for 16 while Vaughan Johnston took 0 for 12.

The North Otago bowlers struck early in the Otago innings with David Cartwright having Ibadulla cleaned out for no score with the eighth ball of the innings.

Allan Bligh and Derek Walker stemmed any possible breakthrough with a second wicket stand of 44, Bligh the batsmen to go on 27.

Walker was in fine touch and saw Garth Gallaway (9), Peter Campbell (0) go before he combined with Shane Robinson to score the winning runs from the first ball of the 33rd over.

Walker was unbeaten on 54, an innings that included four fours and was scored in a minute over two hours.

The Otago innings closed at 105 for four with Michael Dodd taking two for 20 off his 10 overs while Paddy Bleach took one for 24 off 10 and fellow opener David Cartwright one for 35 off 37 balls.