A bitterly cold wind and patches of drizzle made their usual appearance for the opening day of the annual Country Week cricket tournament at Logan Park yesterday.
None of the players in the four teams taking part - North Otago, Southland, Central Otago and Metropolitan - could rise above the dreary conditions to any really notable degree.
Bowlers were handicapped almost from the beginning of play in the morning session, heavy drizzle falling soon after the opening overs were bowled.
From then on, they had to contend with a wet ball, handicapping both swing men and the finger spinners.
To some extent, the batsmen profited, but there were few spectacular efforts, although North Otago ran up the solid total of 266 against Southland, whose reply was 17 without loss when bad light halted play at 5.30pm.
In the other match, Central Otago was all out for 170 against Metropolitan, which had 42 for no wicket when play stopped at 5.30 p.m.,
Top sorer for the day's play was North Otago left-hander W. Kerr , who survived a confident appeal for a catch behind at 10 and went on to make 65.
Kerr generally batted aggressively and was severe on any loose delivery, but it was the batsmen well down the list who bumped North Otago's score along.
Left-hander W. Cowles scored a particularly aggressive 57 not out, using his feet well to the slow bowlers. G.D. Alabaster and J.C. Alabaster, as did the No.10 batsman, R. Mason.
Former Northern Districts representative, P.H. Barton, looked as it he might trouble the batsmen when he opened the attack with another medium-pacer, E. Morton, but once the ball became wet lost his swing and was inclined to overpitch.
On the other hand Morton bowled steadily all through to take the bowling honours with five for 61 off 25 overs. He was never hostile, but just did enough through the air and off the wicket to keep the batsmen in check.
Until the lower-order batsmen used the long handle, Alabaster bowled particularly economically and his four for 83 off 32 overs represented excellent bowling in the conditions.
Short Scorecard(s)
Representative - Hawke Cup - Zone Series
Southland vs North Otago at Logan Park, Dunedin
North Otago 266 ( W.B. Kerr 65, G. Cowles 57no, R.J. Mason 29, K. Murray 25, J. Stevenson 22, B. Bedford 21, A.G. Cartwright 11, Morton 5-61, G.D. Alabaster 4-83 ) & 52-4 ( I. Nicol 13, W.B. Kerr 11, Barton 3-31 )
Southland 371 ( K.J. O'Connor 79, G.D. Alabaster 72, J.C. Alabaster 46, N.R. Thompson 45, L.D. Hollands 33, E.C. Morton 24no, P.H. Barton 16, G.T. Buist 13, R.A. Holloway 11, W. Cubbit 3-55, A.G. Cartwright 3-102, K. Murray 2-25 )
First innings win to Southland
Full scorecard for the match