Jeremiah Shields

The Union Cricket Club Senior team had a comprehensive 10 wicket victory over previously unbeaten Oamaru on the artificial at Don Field.

Oamaru won the toss and captain Ben Coleman elected to bat first but were in trouble early with the loss of Gerry Cunningham and Regan George with only 20 runs registered on the board. Chris Ware continued his form from last week with the Oamaru batsmen struggling to hit his extra yard of pace with Phil Crossan benefiting at the end taking the first two wickets. Khalil was the next batsman in combining with Gutsell for a 24 run partnership and hit 4 fours in his 17 but was then caught on the boundary by Sean Conlan of the bowling of Paul Johnston. The dangerous David Sewell was next in and top scored in the innings along with Kahlil, but was out to the bowling of fellow North Otago selector Duncan Drew, leg before wicket. When Coleman and Kieran Paterson were dismissed any chance of a total past 100 effectively faded with Oamaru all out for 95 on the last ball of the 29th over. For Union Crossan with two wickets in his first spell took 2-28, while Chris Ware was unlucky to take any wickets but return the economical figures of 0-15 of his four over's. Paul Johnston was the top wick taker of the innings with 3-21, while Duncan Drew and Glynn Cameron both took two wickets each.

With a small target for Union to get, Oamaru needed to take early wickets and stop any partnerships forming, however this failed to eventuate as Antony Cromwell and Jeremiah Shields once again got their team of to a great start. The pair who averaged over 45 runs for the opening wicket in the previous week, saw of opening bowlers David Sewell and Josh Gutsell then cruised through to the required total without the loss of any wickets. Cromwell, who hit two sixes in his innings, fell just short of a deserved half-century with 48 while Jeremiah Shields was 32 not out when 96 was reached.

A win to Union by 10 wickets who now sit top of the Dick Hunt holiday competition table, equal on points with Oamaru but top due to the crushing win over Oamaru.

Player Pages:
Glynn Cameron | Sean Conlan | Antony Cromwell | Duncan Drew | Paul Johnston | Jeremiah Shields | Chris Ware |

Oamaru 95 ( Khalil 17, B Coleman 12, Johnston 3-21, Cameron 2-11, Drew 2-17, Crossan 2-29 )
Union 97-0 ( A Cromwell 48no, J Shields 32no )
Union won by 10 wickets
Full scorecard for the match