The North Otago cricket team's chance of challenging for the Hawke Cup hinges on this weekend's game, the team's selector and captain says.

Mark Wilson said yesterday the local side would be looking for 12 points from their two-day match with Dunedin Metropolitan this weekend to give them a good chance for a tilt at the cup challenge.

"After the one-day series and one game in the two-day competition we are five points behind Metropolitan. If we could get 12 points from this game it would give us a good chance," he said. North Otago are to play Southland in Invercargill on January 29 for the last game of the qualifying round.

Wilson predicted a close game at Centennial Park this weekend, even though Metropolitan would not have the services of their first class representatives.

"They have five players with first class experience how, coincidentally, are all batters.

"We have two in our side and they are both bowlers, David Sewell and Neil Rushton.

"It was can get some runs on the board and give our bowlers something to bowl at, we should have a good chance," Wilson said.

Metropolitan manager Allen Aitken agreed today that the weekend game would be a competitive one.

"This type of cricket, over two days, is hard cricket. They'll be out there from 10 this morning until after seven at night. But we have a number of players who have experience at this type of game, including our captain for the weekend Glen Jonas, Scott Waide, Nathan Morland and Mark Billcliff.

"It will also be a good run for our younger guys, Jason Jones and Hayden Anderson, who scored 70 against New South Wales last Wednesday. Young left-armer Bradley Scott is quite sharp too," Aitken said.

"We are well aware of (left-arm fast bowlers) Sewell and Rushton and North Otago will not be under-rated."

Short Scorecard(s)

Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series

Dunedin Metro vs North Otago at Centennial Park Oval, Oamaru
North Otago 80 ( D.J. Drew 23, N.W. Rushton 15, M. Wilson 11, Billcliff 7-28, Jonas 2-21 ) & 272 ( D.J. Drew 101, G.R. Cameron 26, A. Dawe 25, P.M. Odell 24no, K. Gardiner 14, Scott 5-32, Jones 2-41, Waide 2-52 )
Dunedin Metro 286 ( S.J. Waide 120, H.A. Anderson 50, M. Billcliff 42, T. McIntyre 28no, J. Jones 20, R. Quirk 3-48, N.W. Rushton 2-61, D.G. Sewell 2-74 ) & 68-3 ( H.A. Anderson 32, T. Crabb 12no, B.S. Scott 11, D.G. Sewell 2-29 )
Dunedin Metro won by 7 wickets
Full scorecard for the match