This page has news and scores as available from the SIP Cricket tournament being played from Jan 9th – 13th in Invercargill.
Game One – SC vs Otago Country
Otley’s bowling aids first round victory.
The South Canterbury primary school cricket team made a winning start to their South Island tournament in Invercargill yesterday.
South Canterbury managed a first-innings 14-run win over Otago Country, taking the final wicket they needed in the last over of play.
Opening bowler Mark Otley produced the defining spell of bowling in the match, taking five for 21 from 10 overs to lift South Canterbury to an unlikely first innings victory.
After losing the toss and being asked to bat, South Canterbury struggled to form partnerships and get big scores.
They eventually ended their innings on 151 for nine from 52 overs.
Scores of 27 from William Harvey and Shaun Rooney, and a timely 16 from Adam Hamel, at No9, made up the bulk of the scoring.
South Canterbury had to restrict Otago Country to less than three runs an over, and take wickets to have any chance of victory. Otley’s right-arm fast bowling did the trick.
South Canterbury coach Mike Otley said he was able to generate extra bounce, which the batsmen struggled to combat.
Despite the best effort’s of Otago Country opener Jack Turner, who made 58 with the bat to go with three for 19 with the ball, South Canterbury were not to be denied.
When Turner was dismissed near the end of the day’s play, in the 49th over, South Canterbury took their chance.
Mike Otley said his side “fielded the best they ever had done”, taking three terrific catches and supporting their bowlers to defend the small total.
“I’d say 151 was a rather average score, but everyone did their bit and it is great to get a win like this.”
He said it reversed the heavy defeat his side suffered at the hands of Otago Country six weeks ago,
South Canterbury will play Christchurch Red today.
Game Two – SC vs Chch Metro Red
Big loss for primary school team
The South Canterbury primary school cricket team suffered a 98-run first-innings loss to Christchurch Red at their South Island tournament in Invercargill yesterday.
The bowlers stood up for South Canterbury as they made good use of winning the toss on a green-looking pitch, to dismiss Christchurch Red for 162 in 48 overs.
However, the top-order batsmen failed to capitalise on the strong position, as South Canterbury slumped to 28 for six in the 14th over.
South Canterbury coach Mike Otley decided to play for a draw, which made batting time – and not getting out – more important than runs.
With the run-chase effectively over, the middle and lower-order tried to hang on for a first-innings draw.
The last four partnerships survived 26 overs, but South Canterbury were eventually bowled out for 64, nine overs before the close of play.
The last man dismissed, James Copland, lasted 44 balls on zero before perishing, while Adam Hamel was left not out on zero from 41 balls.
Shaun Rooney managed five from 38 balls, and Rupert Tudehope lasted 63 balls for 11 runs.
Christchurch Red’s opening bowler, Ben Thompson, was the architect of the initial batting collapse.
He convincingly took the first three wickets to fall, on his way to five for 15 from 10 overs.
Earlier, the leg-spin of Copland had proved valuable as he took two for 22 from eight overs from South Canterbury.
Tudehope and Rooney also took two wickets to go with their determined batting.
Otley said there was no way to sugar-coat such a loss.
“It’s simple; our top-order just didn’t front-up today.”
South Canterbury will face home team Invercargill Metro today.
Full Scoreboard
Game Three – SC vs Invercargill Metro
Brosnahan South Canterbury’s ace
South Canterbury managed their second nail-biting victory at the South Island primary school cricket tournament, with a one-run first innings victory over Invercargill Metro in Invercargill yesterday.
Right-arm fast bowler Sam Brosnahan proved to be South Canterbury’s ace, as they tried to defend 137 all out. He was held back in the bowling by coach Mike Otley for one last attack on the Invercargill Metro tailenders, and the plan worked.
With six runs needed, Brosnahan was hit for a boundary, but then replied with a delivery which sent the bails flying to give South Canterbury an unlikely win.
He finished with three for 12 from four overs.
The result saw South Canterbury climb to fourth on the competition table out of 14 teams. The win, combined with their 14-run victory over Otago Country on the first day, made them two wins from three games at the tournament, with two matches still to be played.
Earlier with the bat, opener Sean Wills made 24, while William Harvey top-scored with 41.
However, a last wicket partnership between Bailey Dryden (13) and William Blackstock (8), which yield-ed 25 runs proved to be crucial for South Canterbury.
Burns Mills was the stand-out in the field for the visitors, as he took two catches at silly mid-on and one at slip to do his bit to restrict Invercargill Metro to 136.
South Canterbury now have West Coast in their sights today.
Otley said the tournament was being defined by tight bowling, which demanded a full and straight length to be attacking.
Game Four – SC vs West Coast
Youngsters cash in get-out-of-jail-free card
South Canterbury continued their run of nerve-racking victories in the South Island primary schools cricket tournament, with a four-run first-innings win over West Coast in Invercargill yesterday.
South Canterbury performed a great escape to keep up their winning momentum, as they defended a lacklustre total of 118 all out.
West Coast were cruising at 103 for four, before a combination of seam bowling from Mark Otley and Sam Brosnahan, coupled with the spin of Sean Wills, forced West Coast into a spectacular collapse.
“I think we used our get-out-of-jail-free card,” coach Mike Otley said.
This followed their 14-run win over Otago Country on Monday and one-run win on Wednesday over Invercargill Metro.
Wills opened the batting for South Canterbury and top-scored with 23.
“Our target at the start of the day was 150, so 118 was pretty light,” Otley said.
He said the batting had been hampered by poor shot selection, but the comeback had been great.
“When a team is [close to the target] and only four [wickets] down, you feel like you’re dead in the water.
“I don’t think we did much differently but all of a sudden we started to get wickets.”
Wills finished with figures of three for nine from his seven overs, while Mark Otley took three for 31 off 10 overs and Brosnahan two for 13 off seven overs.
South Canterbury lie fourth.
Full Scoreboard
Game Five
Rain washed away any chance of play on the final day of the South Island Primary School’s cricket tournament in Invercargill on Friday 13th January.
South Canterbury finished fourth in the tournament, one point behind three teams who were first equal at the top of the table. South Canterbury coach Mike Otley said he was rapt with the outcome given the team had lost four of their five warm-up games.
Sean Wills, Shaun Rooney, Mark Otley, Sam Brosnahan, William Harvey and Bailey Dryden made Southern Districts squads to face Canterbury opposition on January 23, 24 and 25.
YR 5&6 Tournament - SC finish 2nd: The South Canterbury year 5 and 6 cricket team went undefeated th...