Jason Osborne led Invercargill Metropolitan to a 46-run win over Marist in Southland’s 50-over club competition on Saturday.
In the other round nine Premier League matches, Appleby beat Southland Boys’ High School while Old Boys was humiliated at Waikoikoi.
In the cold conditions, Osborne anchored the Metro innings at Queens Park Oval with 112 runs from 96 balls. The No4 batsman hit 12 fours and three sixes. Osborne had support from Matt Baker, who made 57 from 64 balls.
Lower down the order, Zak Kelly and Jack Pyle each scored 26 to get Metro through to 270 for seven from its 50 overs.
Leg-spinner Jordan Goodall was the best of the eight bowlers used by Marist and had figures of two for 45 from 10 overs.
The Marist run-chase started with a 43-run opening partnership from Marty McKenzie (21) and Blake Harper (20).
Captain Ben McKercher increased the tempo with 36 from 26 deliveries but once Metro’s Isaac Mead dismissed the top three batsmen, the defending champion was on the ropes.
James Crisp took the next two wickets, while Pyle instigated a run-out and then bagged the wickets of lower-order batsmen Alec Mathieson (52), Tom McCabe (35) and Trevor Burgess as Marist ran out of overs when 46 runs short.
- Appleby all-rounder Kieran Lloyd led his team to a three-wicket win on its home patch against the school side.
Southland Boys’ High School limped through to 163 for eight.
Left-hander Aaron Hart top-scored with 56 from 97 balls before becoming one of Lloyd’s five wickets.
Lloyd finished his 10-over spell with figures of five for 33. He then entered the batting order at No4 and top-scored with 33.
Captain Tim Eade and Calum Johnstone both scored 22 as Appleby reached the total with just four overs and three wickets to spare.
Shaun Apperton and Hart each bowled 10 tidy overs.
- Waikoikoi beat Old Boys’ by six wickets. The only double-figure score in Old Boys’ total of 56 was extras on 14.
Kurt Thompson took three wickets while conceding just one run in his five overs. He then top-scored with 24 runs to seal the victory.
- John Langford
