Five-wicket bags to Craig Hinton and Kevin Teahen were the highlights of the opening round of the modified 95-over one day competition.
The pair joined Celtic seamers Tom Pavletich and Grant Watt in picking up five-wicket hauls this season.
On the back of Teahen and Kevin Kerse picking up nine wickets between them in their opening spell, Temuka were able to get across the line, while Celtic crushed Timaru and Star convincingly defeated Waimate.
It was a bowler-friendly round, with Star the only side to post a win by batting first.
Celtic sent Timaru into bat in what was meant to be the match of the round, but it proved anything but with Celtic outclassing their opposition.
Sri Lankan import Sasindu Nanayakkara played some glorious shots in his innings of 38, but he lacked support as Timaru could only muster 81 batting first.
At 58-2 the visiting side were well placed to post a decent total but from here things fell apart.
Nanayakkara was bowled by Celtic seamer Ben Watson and when Dan Laming had key Timaru batsman Prabodha Arthavidu dismissed for just 11 it started a rout.
Tom Pavletich was introduced to the bowling crease and in tandem with Laming they ripped the heart out of Timaru’s batting line up.
Timaru’s next seven batsmen were only able to score 23 runs between them.
Pavletich took 4-6 4-6 while Laming claimed 3-9 and Grant Watt 2-25 in a disciplined bowling display.
In reply, Celtic openers James Laming and Adam Beck got the side through to 61 before Laming was dismissed by Arthavidu.
Eight runs later Celtic had a minor disruption with Beck, Jake Naylor and Sam Carlaw all falling to left-arm orthodox spinner Supeshala Jayathilake in the space of five balls but Liam Beck and Dan Laming remained composed to see Celtic home by six wickets and claim the maximum nine points.
Temuka’s opening bowlers Teahen and Kerse did all they could to bowl Pleasant Point out by themselves in their match at Aorangi Oval.
They produced produced a fantastic spell of partnership bowling to propel their side to victory on Saturday.
Veteran right-arm seamer Teahen picked up 5-26 and Kerse 4-24 as Point were reduced to 61-9 but a fighting last wicket partnership between Cam Lundie (31) and Richard Stowell (36) saw the home side through to 133 all out.
The pair showed great fight in getting the side through to a semi-competitive total.
Temuka’s reply started well with Richie Preston taking 16 off Brad Tegelaars’ first over, but spinner Blair Brown was introduced soon after and sent Preston packing for 17.
Willy Stone made 15 and Phill Lill but it was Johnny Geddes who saw Temuka home with an unbeaten 44 including a six to bring up the victory.
In the final match Star made 153-9 batting first with Jacques Marais (53) and Paul Arkinstall (29) the main contributors with only one other batter and extras making double figures.
Alan Reid starred with the ball for Waimate picking up 3-15 in his 13-over spell including seven maidens, while captain Glen Drake took 3-43 off 13 overs.
Star’s decision to bat seemed to be the right one however, with left-arm medium fast bowler Craig Hinton then picking up the first five Waimate wickets to leave the visitors in trouble at 42-5.
Hinton finished with 5-24 and Jacques Marais 3-15 as he cleaned up the tail.
Waimate were bowled out for 95 in reply handing Star a 58-run win.
Hayden Matthew top-scored for with 26, before Star leg-spinner Dale Warwood snuck one through his defence.
Temuka, Celtic and Star all claimed the maximum nine points on offer.