Star finally have something to smile about against Timaru.
After a number of close matches last season which saw the blue-and-golds on the losing end in all of them, they finally ended their losing streak to Timaru.
A spirited fielding display helped Star to a convincing 38-run win over Timaru in their South Canterbury club cricket one-day clash.
The match at Mountainview High School was on and off a number of periods throughout the day due to rain interruptions, shorting the clash to 40 overs each.
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The Cricket game between Star and Timaru was interrupted several times by rain on Saturday, helping with the covers, from left, Prabodha Arhtavidu, Sam Singh and Supeshala Jayathilake.
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Star's Daniel Campbell and umpire John Threlkeld look on as Timaru's Probadha Arthavidu sends down a delivery.
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Timaru's Sasindu Nanayakkara, left, watches as Paul Arkinstall guides a delivery to third man.
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Umpire John Threlkeld orders the players to leave the field due to rain.
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Timaru's Sasindu Nanayakkara watches on as Star's Daniel Campbell plays a shot through the off-side.
Timaru won the toss and put Star into bat on a damp green pitch.
Star openers Phil McGregor and Adam Fahey fell early as Star were restricted to 22-2.
Sam Richardson made 12 before he was cleaned up by Sam Singh, who had taken the first three wickets of the game.
Hamish Dickson in his first outing for Star this season looked to play some attacking shots but when he fell to last seasons top wicket-taker Supeshala Jayathilake, it looked as though Star might struggle to put up a decent total.
aul Arkinstall joined Daniel Campbell in the middle and both went about putting a partnership together.
This was made harder due to two rain delays, forcing them to get going again.
Their partnership of 54 was broken when Arkinstall fell for 18, leg before wicket to off-spinner Prabodha Arthavidu.
Star then lost Campbell caught on the boundary for 32 and Dan Mehrtens in quick succession.
Chris Ware came out to bat and swatted 19 before he was well caught.
Again the batting, which has been Star’s achilles heel this season, failed to really fire getting them through to 136 all out, when a total of more than 150 seemed a strong chance.
Jayathilake and Singh were Timaru’s best bowlers with three wickets each.
In reply, Timaru got off to the worst possible start when Ben Fraser was caught in close with no runs ons the board.
Arthavidu looked as though he would take the game away from Star with his positive approach but when he fell for 10, Star felt they had a sniff.
Timaru were cruising at 72-2 before Jayathilake hit one too many aerial shots and was well caught by Ware for 29.
The pedals began to fall off their chase as Sam Porter (8) and Sasindu Nanayakkara (34) fell cheaply.
Nanayakkara was the best of the Timaru batsman, playing some nice cricket shots.
They lost their last seven wickets for 27 runs.
Dale Warwood, Blair Gunn and Brayden Lindsay all bowled well through the middle for Star, chipping in with three wickets apiece.
The win took Star to 12 points, while it was Timaru’s first loss of the one-day competition.
Meanwhile, the match between Celtic and Temuka was abandoned after 15 overs.
Having been transferred to an artificial wicket at Ashbury Park after heavy surface water at Aorangi Oval, the match never really got going.
They were off twice for rain and decided to pull the pin with Celtic batting.
Both teams picked up thee points each.
Next weekend Celtic face Pleasant Point, while Timaru host Temuka with Star having the bye.