The Pleasant Point Cricket Club hosted its second Hawke Cup match, and its first on its grass pitch as it showcased its beautiful ground.
After winning the toss on Saturday morning South Canterbury opted to bat. The locals posted a competitive 253 runs.
Southland fast bowler Sithum Bandara took six wickets for 32 runs. This brilliant individual effort included five of the locals getting their stumps bowled over.
Southland batsmen got through to 118 for the loss of four wickets at the end of the first day. Sam Downing (25) and Aaron Hart (44) were the main contributors.
Shaun Fitzgibbon and Jed Mockford were at the crease on Sunday morning. Mockford did not hang around and that brought captain Jason Osborne to the middle. The pair took the score through to 190 for five at lunch.
In the middle session Osborne brought up his 50 but got struck on the body soon after and had to retire hurt.
The momentum changed after that; Fitzgibbon (49) was one of four wickets to fall in an hour.
Osborne returned to the crease; a big effort from the Southland skipper who wasn’t going to die wondering. Osborne found an ally in No 11 Sithum Bandara who looked comfortable against the pace bowlers as they edged nearer their target.
With Southland still needing six runs for victory, Bandara (16) was caught out by the wicketkeeper. The valiant skipper was unbeaten on 52.
With minimal time left for the second innings and some rain threatening the ground, this became the end of the match. South Canterbury secured the 8 competition points for a first innings win.
South Canterbury and North Otago are leading the southern zone on 28 points. Otago Country are still in the hunt for the top spot.
Southland’s fourth and final game of the campaign is against Otago Country in Alexandra.
- By John Langford
