FINAL
The final of the National Under 19 Tournament was fought between Auckland and Otago on the Bert Sutcliffe Oval. Rain played a big role in the match, even forcing the other two consolation matches to be called off.
Otago batted first and after 19 overs the players were brought off due to the rain, where they were sitting at 72/2. Once the rain stopped, Otago managed to reach 125/8 off 25 overs. The tournament’s top run scorer, Hunter Kindley hit 44, while Cameron McAuslan scored 40. Duckworth Lewis came into play, after worked out that Auckland would be chasing 168 from 25 overs.
Auckland’s chase began well, with Ben Beecroft hitting three boundaries during the first seven balls, but he tried to hit one to many, and Ryan Whelen bowled him. Two balls later Whelen broke through again, this time getting New Zealand Under 19 International Dale Phillips caught behind. Star batsmen Finn Allen and opener Angus McKenzie steadied the innings, before McKenzie was run out after slipping.
This brought captain Will O’Donnell to the crease, and Allen and O’Donnell added 51 to the wicket before Allen hit one straight to deep square-leg. Allen was looking good during his 35, hitting three fours and a six trying to hit Hunter Kindley another six. O’Donnell continued for a couple of over before he was caught for 35.
Suddenly it wasn’t looking so positive for Auckland, needing 44 from 30 balls and after two tight overs, Auckland was needing to go at 11 runs an over.
The third to final over began well for Auckland, with Daniel Young hitting a much needed boundary. The very next ball was a different story though, with Young hitting one right to long on.
Suddenly it was Otago’s to lose, with Auckland needing 24 from two overs. Nathen Smith held his nerve during the second to last over, conceding just four runs, meaning Auckland would need 20 from the final over.
Whelan was tasked with bowling with the final over, but it was Young that gave Auckland a chance, hitting a six off the third ball of the over, meaning Auckland needed 11 off three to win. Otago again held their nerve, restricting Auckland and picking up a five-run win.
Semi-final Round
Semi-final One: Otago U-19 285/8 (H. Kindley 94, N. Smith 50, T. Bayly 39, L. Johnson 38, R. Tallott 3/58) beat Northern U-19 236 all out off 45.4 overs (J. Moore 89*, C. Aislabie 40, K. Johnston 3/44)
The first semi-final brought together the teams from either end of the country, with Otago and Northern playing out for a spot in the final. Otago batted first, and at 3/63 it wasn’t looking good for the southern side, until Hunter Kindley and Nathan Smith resurrected the innings. The pair put on 108 before Smith was caught for 50 from 45 balls, but Kindley continued the momentum. The number three batted beautifully, hitting 11 fours and two sixes during his 94. Kindley fell six runs short of his second century in two days, when he spooned a drive which looped straight to point. Taine Bayly and Llew Johnson pitched in with decent contributions, which helped Otago reach 285/8 off their 50 overs.
In reply, Northern didn’t begin well, losing a couple of early wickets to leave them stuttering at 2/38. Cullen Aislabie provided some relief with a 40, before Otago broke again. Wickets continued to fall until Jamie Moore gave Northern some hope. Moore hit 89from 71, including 12 fours and three sixes but it wasn’t enough, as Northern fell 49 runs short. Ben Lockrose and Nathan Smith grabbed a couple of wickets each, but Kurt Johnson stood out with the ball, ending with figures of 3/44.
Semi Final Two: Auckland U-19 288/9 (F. Allen 85, D. Phillips 67, W. O’Donnell 43, B. Beecroft 37, F. McGregor-Sumpter 35, B. Sears 3/38, T. Simpson 3/54) beat Wellington U-19 199 all out off 40.5 overs (C. McLachlan 53, N. Plie 31, R. Ravindra 30, W. O’Donnell 4/54)
The Bert Sutcliffe Oval hosted the second semi-final, where Auckland were sent into bat by Wellington. Ben Beecroft and Flynn McGregor-Sumpter got Auckland off to a flyer, with both batsmen hitting multiple boundaries during the early overs. The pair reached 74 together before they were both bowled in the space of a few overs, with Beecroft looking particularly good during his 37. New Zealand U-19 Internationals Dale Phillips and Finn Allen hadn’t experienced their best tournaments to date, therefore both were due a score. The international duo put on 114 for the third wicket, before Phillips was stumped for 67 after some good work from keeper Callum McLachlan. Allen continued the momentum, hitting multiple boundaries before he holed out for 85, after attempting to hit his third six over long on. Captain William O’Donnell made sure Auckland finished the innings well, leading his side to 288 with a quick paced 43.
Although Wellington kept early wickets, it was the run rate that put the team from the capital under pressure. The Auckland captain led from the front with the ball, picking up the two openers, including the key wicket of Rachin Ravindra. William St John took two wickets in an over to put Auckland on top, before Callum McLachlan played a brilliant innings. The Wellington batsmen helped himself to eight fours and a six during his 36 ball 53, but again it was captain O’Donnell that broke through. He ended with figures of 4/54 from his ten overs, while William St John and Ryan Schierhout took two wickets each, helping Auckland bowl Wellington out 89 runs short.
Central U-19 226/9 (C. Leopard 55, M. Ave 33, B. Wiggins 31, F. Murray 30*, F. Sheat 3/38, A. Hamilton 3/53) beat Canterbury U-19 (B. Donkers 37, B. Chamberlain 34, L. Dravitzki 4/30)
The final match of the day was fought out between Central and Canterbury, with the sides battling it out for fifth place of the next two days. Central won the toss and managed a total of 226/9. The highlight of the innings was a 55 off 36 balls by New Zealand Under 19 International Christian Leopard. The nuggety right hander hit three fours and four sixes during his hour stay at the crease. Fraser Sheat and Angus Hamilton stood out with the ball, taking three wickets each.
The tournament’s top run scorer Will Hamilton, has become a crucial member of the Canterbury batting top order, and losing his wicket was the worst possible start for Canterbury. An impressive spell from left arm spinner Luke Dravitzki won the game for Central. Dravitzki picked up figures of 4/30 from his ten overs, while New Zealand Under 19 International Felix Murray and David Mills took two wickets each, leading Central to a 33 run victory.
Round Five
Auckland U-19s 292/6 (F. McGregor-Sumpter 132, D. Phillips 65, D. Young 57*) beat Canterbury U-19s 196 all out off 44.5 overs (J. Turner 45, F. Sheat 42, W. Hamilton 39, A. Hassan 5/48)
It was a classic Auckland v Christchurch rival match in the fifth round of the National U-19 Tournament at Lincoln University. Canterbury decided to bowl first and would have regretted that decision after Auckland set them a mammoth 292/6 off their fifty overs. Initially though it was looking good for the South Island team after Mark Otley picked up two early wickets. However, this brought together New Zealand Under 19 International Dale Phillips, and opener Flynn McGregor-Sumpter. The pair batted beautifully together, combining for a 124-run partnership before Phillips was bowled for 65. Auckland looked as if they were losing their way after Matt Hay took two wickets in quick succession, but again a great partnership put Auckland back on top. Former BLACKCAP Brian Young’s son Daniel Young joined McGregor-Sumpter and the pair added 127-runs. McGregor-Sumpter timed his innings to perfection, slowly building early on, but then quickening the rate later in the innings. After over three hours, 14 fours and a six, he was bowled for 132 from 146 balls. Young then finished the innings off with a few boundaries, with the right-handed batsman ending on 57*.
It was going to have to be something special for Canterbury to chase 292, the South Island team needed someone to get a big score. Sadly for Canterbury it wasn’t to be, as only a few batsmen made starts, with Jack Turner top scoring with 45, before Auckland spinner Ariyan Hassan took his wicket. The dismissal was one of five wickets for Hassan, as he bamboozled the Canterbury batsmen, while captain Will O’Donnell held down the other end while Hassan took the wickets. Canterbury eventually fell 96 runs short.
Northern U-19s 195/9 (A. Blackett 52, 3/36) lost by six wickets to Otago U-19s 196/4 off 36 overs (H. Kindley 106*, A. Bhogal 45)
The clash between Northern and Otago, got off to quite an uncommon start as the first five Northern wickets fell while the batsmen were in their teens. Ryan Whelan continued to impress with figures of 3/36 which included the first two breakthroughs. Alastair Blackett played a captains knock, playing out 91 balls and contributing 52 runs. By the 38th over it looked Northern were getting some momentum, that was until two run outs occurred. It looked as if Northern were going to struggle to set 150, but number 10 Alex Clare pitched in with 27* off 29 balls, helping his side bat out the overs.
After impressing during the recent First XI Cup Tournament, Hunter Kindley batted Otago to victory with an exceptional 106*. Kindley arrived at the crease in the first over, and 35 overs later, he was walking off knowing that he had just won his side the game. His 106* came off 104 balls, and included 15 boundaries. Opener Anjas Bhogal supported Kindley, with the pair putting on 112 before Bhogal was removed by Northern’s Sandeep Patel. Patel then had a chance for a hat-trick as he removed Jarryd Taig the very next ball. However, Kindley batted his side to victory, certainly a performance people took notice of.
Wellington U-19s 243/9 (R. Ravindra 89, T. Johnson 74, F. Murray 3/51) beat Central U-19s 154 all out off 46.5 overs (J. Borrell 62, M. McComb 3/29)
A 64-run opening stand provided Wellington the perfect platform to push onto a big total in the final fifth round match. New Zealand Under 19 International, Rachin Ravindra, opened the batting and batted beautifully for his 89, which included three fours in a row, where he pulled the first, drove the second and glanced the third, all timed to perfection. He and Troy Johnson put on 130 for the second wicket before Ravindra gave his wicket away by hitting a drive straight to the cover fielder. Johnson continued the momentum for a couple of overs before he too gave him wicket away, by going down the wicket and trying to hit a six over long on, but he didn’t get the full timing and the fielder on the boundary took a simply catch. Once Ravindra and Johnson were out, Wellington added 40 runs to the total from the final eight overs, partly due to good bowling but also due to lack of wickets in hand, with the team from the Capital ending the innings with one wicket in hand. Felix Murray, Christian Leopard, and Luke Dravitski all bowled well, picking up seven wickets between them.
Central knew that getting anything but a bonus point win for Wellington would mean Central would qualify for the finals, therefore Wellington were really defending 195. Central opener Joshua Borrell did his part, hitting 62 from 111 balls, but he didn’t have the support from the other end, as no other Central batsmen scored above 15. At 5/97 it looked the game would end with a number of overs remaining, but Central fought hard and dragged the game out to 47 overs before being bowled out for 154. Matt McComb was the pick of the bowlers, taking figures of 3/29, while James Hartshorn and Troy Johnston both nabbed to wickets each.
Round Four
Central U-19 162 all out off 46.1 overs (B. Wiggins 56, A. Hassan 4/23) lost to Auckland U-19 163/9 off 42.3 overs (D. Phillips 41, F. Allen 38, F. Murray 3/18)
Both sides came into this clash with two wins a piece, putting them both at the top of the table. Central decided to bat first and got off to a decent start before Angus McKenzie broke through for Auckland. Wickets quickly fell, leaving Central at 3/67, before opener Bayley Wiggins and captain Kaylum Boshier resurrected the innings with a 50 run partnership. Auckland captain Will O’Donnell turned to Ariyan Hassan who produced the brake through Central was looking for. The wicket created a chain reaction, with Central losing five wickets for 11 runs, including the key wicket of Wiggins who was caught for 56. Number ten David Mills pitched in at the death with 20*, before Central were bowled out for 162 in the 47th over.
In reply, it was looking good for the team from the City of Sails as they sitting at 3/49, but a good partnership between New Zealand U-19 Internationals Dale Phillips and Finn Allen levelled the match. When Allen was caught for 38 off 29 balls it was still anyone’s game. Auckland lost a few more wickets to some good bowling, but also some good fielding as two Auckland batsmen were run out. At 7/128 it looked as if Central had the game in the bag, but Phillips and bowler William St John put on 26 critical runs before Phillips was caught. This left the game right in the balance, but Auckland held their nerve, passing 162 with one wicket in hand.
Canterbury U-19 242 all out off 48 overs (W. Hamilton 84, S. Gilbert 64, B. Donkers 44, C. Rowell 3/43) lost by eight wickets to Northern U-19 245/2 (C. Aislabie 96*, S. Patel 91*)
Defending champions Canterbury were looking to continue momentum after picking up their first win of the tournament during the third round. Will Hamilton anchored the innings from the top of the order, hitting 11 fours during his 84 before Cooper Rowell caught him off his own bowling. Rowell was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/44, with Canterbury’s top three all falling to the opening bowler. The innings was formed on the partnership between Hamilton and Sam Gilbert, with the pair putting on 125 together before Gilbert fell for 64. Captain Ben Donkers picked up the run rate with a quick paced 44, which included three fours and three sixes. Canterbury were disappointed to not bat out their overs, with the last five batsman falling for 15 runs, leaving Canterbury bowled out for 242.
Northern put on a special performance in the chase, as two players managed scorer above 90. They lost their first wicket for just seven runs, but a partnership of 83 between opener Aislabie and number three Clarke, put Northern on top. However, the match winning partnership was between Aislabie and Sandeep Patel, with the partnership unbeaten as Northern went past the target. Aislabie ended on 96*, while Patel finished at a near run a ball 91*, as the duo put on 155* together.
Otago U-19 219 all out off 48.5 overs (J. Taig 95, B. Sears 4/24) beat Wellington U-19 215/8 (C. Harrison 46*, J. Bhula 37, N Pile 37, T. Johnson 30, R. Whelan 3/40)
After losing a couple of early wickets it wasn’t looking good for Otago, but a brilliant knock from Jarryd Taig saved the innings. Coming in at 2/24, Taig batted patiently but also managed to keep the score ticking over, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes. After 140 minutes at the crease Taig was run out for 95 by New Zealand U-19 International Rachin Ravindra. Taig didn’t get much support from his teammates, with only three other teammates making double figures. James Hartshorn and Calvin Harrison both impressed with two wickets each, with Hartshorn standing out, ending with figures of 2/21. Ben Sears wrapped up the innings, taking the last four wickets during a remarkable spell, leaving Otago all out at 219 with one over to go.
Wellington’s chase was a story of starts, as five different batsman got scores of above 25, but none managed to get to a half century. Harrison top scored with 46*, while Bhula and Pile both scored 37. Whelan stood out with the ball as he took 3/40, but Ben Lockrose continued his impressive bowling during the tournament, as he took one wicket for 28 off his ten overs. The game was desperately close as Wellington was sitting at 8/200 with two overs to go. Some good bowing from Otago meant that Wellington couldn’t get over the line, eventually falling four runs short.
Round Three
Wellington U19 161 all out off 45.1 overs (L. Georgeson 35, H. Fitzpatrick 4/27) lost by six wickets to Canterbury U19 163/4 off 36.5 overs (M. Hay 51, J. Turner 36)
Defending champions Canterbury were looking to turn their title defence around, but Wellington were wanting to make it three loses in a row for South Island team. Wellington batted first, but it wasn’t a good batting performance, with opener Luke Georgeson top scoring with 35. The side from the capital struggled against Canterbury’s bowlers, especially Harry Fitzpatrick who picked up four of Wellington’s batsmen. Matt Hay also pitched in with a couple of wickets, helping bowl Wellington out for 161. In reply, a 56 opening partnership put Canterbury in position to pick up their first win of the tournament. Matt Hay again pitching in, this time hitting 51 runs with the bat, supported by number three Jack Turner who anchored the innings with 36. 37 overs were all Canterbury needed to chase Wellington’s 161, earning victory by six wickets.
Northern U-19 211/8 (D. Joll 68, K. Clark 61, W. O’Donnell 3/38, D. Phillips 3/45) beat Auckland U-19 198 all out off 49.4 overs (B. Beecroft 42, R. Schierhout 38, A. McKenzie 32, D. Pathirana 3/32)
During the first two rounds Auckland had bowled their opponents out for under 90 runs, therefore when Northern decided to bat first, Auckland would have been excited. Northern opener Dion Joll shut down that excitement batting for over 44 overs, and picking up 68 runs. Number three Katene Clarke also batted well, hitting 61 off 94 balls before being given leg before off the bowling of Dale Phillips. New Zealand Under 19 international Phillips picked up three wickets, while captain William O’Donnell helped restrict Northern through taking three wickets. Auckland got off to the perfect start, with openers Ben Beecroft and Angus McKenzie combining for a 64 run opening stand, before both batsmen were bowled. Beecroft finished the innings as Auckland’s top scorer with 42, while McKenzie ended on 32. Northern put themselves back on top, after picking up a string of Auckland wickets, included New Zealand U-19 internationals Dale Phillips and Finn Allen. Ryan Schierhout batted Auckland back into the game, with a well paced 38, with wicket keeper Christy O’Brien also pitching in with 25. However, it wasn’t to be Auckland’s day with Northern bowler Ravi Pathirana taking three key wickets, while Brayden Gaylor and Alastair Patel picked up two scalps each. The constant fall of wickets meant Auckland were bowled out, just 13 runs behind.
Otago U-19 184 all out off 46.1 overs (L. Johnson 86, C. Leopard 6/26) lost by one wicket to Central U-19 186/9 off 45.1 overs (M. Hughes 42, B. Lockrose 3/21, K. Johnston 3/44)
A trilling match between Otago and Central ended the third round of the national U-19 cricket tournament at Lincoln University. Otago batted first, and restricted Central to 184, largely due to New Zealand U-19 international Christian Leopard who picked up six wickets. Early on, Otago weren’t able to build any substantial partnerships largely due to Leopard constantly picking up wickets. When Llew Johnson arrived at the wicket, Otago were struggling at 5/58 but Johnson was able to turn the innings around with a quick paced 86. Johnson was able to do most of the scoring while his number nine and ten were at the wicket, but both tail-enders did the right thing, just looking to survive, while Johnson was able to score the runs. In the end Johnson hit 11 fours and two sixes, as he was the final wicket to fall. Otago’s defence began well, and when Central lost number three Mason Hughes for 42, when the score was sitting at 6/105, it was looking good for the southern side. Both Ben Lockrose and Kurt Johnston picked up three wickets each, with Lockrose impressing again with figures of 3/21. However, when Central 7th to 9th batsmen all scored 22’s the match was turned in Centrals favour, until they lost a couple of quick wickets to leave them needing another 17 runs, with one wicket in hand, it was anyone’s game. Central’s Felix Murray and Liam Pinfold held their nerve, hitting the winnings runs with 29 balls left.
Round Two
Auckland U-19s 237/9 (B. Beecroft 37, W. O’Donnell 31, F. Allen 30, H. Kindley 4/27, B. Lockrose 3/30) beat Otago U-19s 62 all out off 20 overs (H. Kindley 32, W. St John 3/14)
Auckland won the toss and decided to bat first, and made a promising start with Ben Beecroft and William O’Donnell combining for a 67 run partnership before Beecroft was removed for 37. Otago bowler Ben Lockrose helped turn the match around, picking up three quick wickets, meaning Auckland were left struggling at 4/124. New Zealand U-19 international Finn Allen recovered the innings, before Hunter Kindley got him caught for 30. This brought in a wicket taking spree for Kindley, taking four Auckland wickets. With seven overs left it looked as if Auckland was in trouble at 9/190 but tail-enders William St John and Nikheil Bhana managed not only survive the innings, but score at a good rate. The pair put on 47* for the last wicket off just 40 balls, with St John finishing on 23*, and Bhana ending on 22*. In reply, things couldn’t have gone worse for Otago, with only two players making double figures. Hunter Kindley backed up his performance with the ball by scoring more than half his teams runs, but it was all Auckland with Angus Mckenzie, Keegan Russell and captain Will O’Donnell picking up a coupe of wickets each. William St John was the standout with the ball, taking three wickets from his four overs, playing a large hand in bowling Otago out for 62.
Central U-19s 284/8 (M. Hughes 75, M. Ave 50, C. Leopard 49, J. Borrell 46) beat Canterbury U-19s 195 all out off 45 overs (B. Chamberlain 41, B. Donkers 32, F. Sheat 31, F. Murray 5/33)
Central were sent into bat on the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, and lost an early wicket in just the third over. Opener Joshua Borrell and Mason Hughes stabilized the innings with a 97 run partnership, before Borrell was removed by Matt Hay for 46. Hughes was joined by New Zealand U-19 international Christian Leopard, and the pair put on 80 runs together, until Canterbury captain Ben Donkers removed Leopard for 49. Just 20 balls later Hughes lost his wicket to Hay for 75, which brought wicket keeper Ma’ara Ave to the crease. Ma’ara increased the run rate, reaching his half century off just 36 balls before he was run out, but the damage was done with Central reaching a formidable 284 off their 50 overs. If Canterbury were going to chase down a score near 300, they needed a batsman to get a big total, but other than a few starts no one was able to anchor the innings. Murray was the player that really impressed, taking five wickets for 33. Murray took an early wicket, but came back on later in the innings to skittle Canterbury middle-lower order.
Wellington U-19s 234/5 (R. Ravindra 65, T. Johnson 63, J. Bhula 35, B. Gaylor 3/42) beat Northern 124 all out off 37.5 overs (S. Patel 59, J. Hartshorn 3/24, C. Harrison 3/44)
Wellington got off to a solid but slow start, with an opening partnership of 52 off 18 overs before Northern bowler Brayden Gaylor picked up his first wicket. New Zealand U-19 International Rachin Ravindra and number three Troy Johnson followed a similar story to the opening partnership, hitting 74 runs off 17 overs, before Ravindra was caught for 65. Johnson was joined by Jakob Bhula, who picked up the run rate with a quick paced 35 before Gaylor took his second wicket. Gaylor’s third victim was Johnson, who was caught for 63. Wellington finished their 50 overs at 234/5, probably about a par score, but Northern made it look like a huge total. Other than a smart innings of 59* from Sandeep Patel, it was all about the Wellington bowlers. Simpson took two wickets for 13, bowling economically alongside McComb, with both bowlers keeping the runs down. This left Harrison and Hartshorn to take all the wickets, with both bowlers picking up three wickets each as Northern ended at 124 all out.
Round One
Wellington Under-19s 107 all out off 40.1 overs (K. Russell 4/26) lost to Auckland Under 19s by five wickets 109/5 (F. Allen 38*)
The stunning Bert Sutcliffe Oval was the host to the first game of the under-19 tournament, with Wellington and Auckland both hoping to start with a win. Wellington were sent into bat and it wasn’t the start they were looking for, losing four early wickets. Jakob Bhula was the only batsman to get going, battling out 28 before being bowled. Young fast bowler Keegan Russell was the star with the ball, taking a couple of early wickets before taking two more when it looked like Wellington were starting to pick up momentum. Angus McKenzie and William St John also took two scalps a piece.
In reply, Auckland didn’t start well losing opener Benjamin Beecroft in the fourth over. After that though things were pretty straightforward, other than Josh Peake taking two wickets in two balls. James Hartshorn also took two wickets, but it was Auckland’s Finn Allen that controlled the innings, hitting five fours and a six during his 44 ball 38*. The New Zealand Under 19 International was there at the end of innings, where Auckland passed Wellington’s total in the 23rd over.
Central Districts Under-19s 232/9 (C. Leopard 60, M. Ave 42, M. Fisher 3/26) lost by three wickets to Northern Under-19s 236/7 off 47 overs (K. Clarke 105, A. Blackett 34)
In game two Central Districts were sent into bat and lost a couple of early wickets due to some good bowling from Matthew Fisher. Fisher was the standout with the ball, taking three wickets for 26 runs off his eight overs. Christian Leopard led the innings well with a quick paced 60, and had good support from wicket keeper Ma’ara Ave who pitched in with 42. The lower order also helped Central reach 232/9, meaning they had a total they could defend. However, Northern number three completely took the game away from Central, hitting a blistering 105 off 81 balls. Captain Alastair Blackett hit 34, and the lower order held their nerve, hitting the winnings runs with three overs to spare.
Canterbury Under-19s 215 all out off 50 overs (W. Hamilton 73, N. Smith 3/33) lost by four wickets to Otago Under-19s 219/6 off 47.2 overs (N. Smith 93, L. Johnson 44*, A. Bhogal 32, M. Otley 3-44)
A terrific individual performance took the spotlight during the match between current champions Canterbury and Otago. The southern rivalry got underway with Canterbury batting first. Opener Will Hamilton anchored the innings with a 73, but Hamilton didn’t find much support from any of his partners. A few Canterbury players pitched in to help Canterbury reach 215, before being bowled out off the last ball of the innings. Captain Nathan Smith was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3/33 off his ten overs. Canterbury looked in a great position at the start of the second innings, with opening bowler M. Otley taking three wickets in the second over. This brought to the crease Smith who steadied the innings, and put his side well in control with a 93. Being the standout bowler and batsman for the day means selectors will be closely watching Smith over the next week. Number seven Llew Johnson played a brilliant knock off 44 to bring Otago over the line with a couple of overs spare.
