Willie Stone is all concentration as he hits one through the leg side on his way to 48 against Star.
Temuka have secured their first playoff spot in the 2016-17 club cricket season.
The Magpies were too good for Star winning their South Canterbury modified one-day clash by six wickets at the Temuka Domain, in a virtual quarterfinal.
A nine-point win for Star would have sealed them third spot, while anything less meant Temuka and Pleasant Point were still a chance of stealing the final spot, until Point lost to Timaru by 18 runs.
Star won the toss and after chasing plenty of leather over the past few weeks when bowling first, tried their luck at setting a total.
Things started positively as Phil McGregor and Sean White posted 29 for the opening wicket.
White, who made 24, went out blazing early on, hitting four boundaries and a six in his 15-ball stay.
McGregor (28) was more resolute in his time at the crease, showing plenty of patience.
He was joined by Paul Arkinstall, who was playing his last game for the club, as they put on 63 for the second wicket.
Arkinstall fell for 44 with Star well set to score a decent total, however the introduction of spinners Glen Drake, Josh Rooney and Phil Lill swung the match Temuka’s way.
Rooney chipped in with four wickets, including Arkinstall, Star’s best batsman all season, Daniel Campbell, McGregor and Adam Fahey in quick succession.
Drake removed the dangerous Tyler Cox and Jarrad Mannex, while Lill clean up the tail with some accurate off-spinners.
Star lost their last nine wickets for just 46-runs to be bundled out for 140, just three of their partnerships reached the double figures.
Tailender Brayden Lindsay hit 15 not out to get the side through to 140, scoring the final 15 runs by himself.
In reply, the hosts made a rapid start through openers Nathan Sew Hoy and Willie Stone.
Stone was going after Craig Hinton, while Sew Hoy took to fellow opening bowler Lindsay.
Their opening partnership of 70 set up Temuka for the win.
Sew Hoy hit 43, including three sixes and four boundaries, before Dale Warwood bowled him, while Stone made 48.
He fell to part-timer Daniel Campbell, who picked up three of Star’s four wickets, two of whom were rep players Warren Morgan and Drake.
Thirteen of the 14 wickets were taken by spin.
Meanwhile, Timaru secured second place with a tight victory over Pleasant Point on a flat wicket at the Point Domain.
Batting first Timaru made 175 on the back of 50s from Supeshala Jayathilake and Dinesh De Silva.
De Silva top scored with 56, while Jayathilake backed up last week’s 81 with a hard hit 50, Brad Leonard’s (16) at seven also proved handy.
Teenager seamer Mark Otley was the best of the Pleasant Point bowlers picking up four wickets, while wicket-keeper Adam Beck took a day off from the gloves and nabbed two wickets, including De Silva.
He then top scored for Pleasant Point with a fighting 71.
It was one of three double figure scores for the Mud Caps.
Latham Gibb scored 34, while Bailey Dryden made 13.
Jayathilake was Timaru’s most successful bowler with four wickets, while Prabodha Arthavidu picked up three wickets.
Next weekend Point face Temuka, while Timaru clash with Celtic in a top of the table battle.
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