Kai Kings in winning form over weekend
THE Kai Kings recorded their first win of the South Otago twenty20 competition on Friday night with a sixwicket win over the Waihola Swans in Milton.
Waihola batted and made only 92 for eight off its 20 overs, opening batsman Shannon Young topscoring with 38.
Orry Young and Mark Shepherd took two wickets each.
It took the Kings 15 overs to chase the total down for the loss of four wickets. Opening batsman Orry Young carried his bat in making 50 runs.
The Kai Kings continued their winning weekend with a sixwicket win over the previously unbeaten Owaka Bandits in Kaitangata on Saturday
The Kings elected to bowl and used the howling gale to restrict Owaka to 79 for nine.
A middleinnings bowling partnership between Kobe Thomson and Ethan Gilder crushed Owaka. Thomson was the chief destroyer with five wickets for only four runs off four overs into the wind. Gilder recorded very neat figures of one for 10 off four overs.
Kai chased the total down in the 14th over for the loss of four wickets. The Bandits bowled 26 extras. Young topscored for Kai with 20.
The Valley Stingers moved up the table to first equal with their fivewicket win over the Clutha Comets at Tuapeka.
Clutha was sent in by Valley and was in trouble at 11 for three after four overs. Kelan Smith bludgeoned 78 runs from 42 deliveries in a knock that featured four fours and seven sixes as Clutha was all out for 129.
Marc Phillips and Richard Ray took three wickets each for the home side.
The Stingers chased the total down with two overs to spare.
Morgan Culbertson topscored with 27, and skipper Lachie Johnston was next best with 26. Connor Smith took two for 22 off three overs.
The Lawrence Lions joined the teams on top of the table after a ninewicket win over the Waihola Swans in Milton. Waihola batted first and scored 101 for six.
The Swans middle order scored useful runs before Dylan Bungard unleashed towards the end of the innings. Bungard topscored for the Swans with 24 not out off only nine balls. Peter Grant was next best with 22. Jackson Miller took three for 32 off his four overs.
The Lions chased the total down in the 12 overs for the loss of only two wickets. Opener George Franklin continued his strong start to the season as he ticked over 100 runs in four games.
Franklin was dismissed for 34 after sharing a matchwinning 80run partnership with No 3 Pryde, who finished unbeaten on 43 off 22 balls.
No premier club cricket was played in Southland on Saturday because of the poor weather.
ley, which was dismissed for 80 in just 27.2 overs.
Cameron Grubb (22) and Jake Matthews (18) were the best of the Valley batsmen, while for Oamaru Stephan Grobler took three for 14 and Harry Sandhu four for 26.
Jordan Bartlett (40) guided Oamaru to victory, losing only five wickets in the process as Jake Matthews took five for 32.