The Waitakians’ busy schedule – a Saturday match in Oamaru and further travel to Central Otago after the Willows match on Sunday – dictated a 40-over match being played.

This was a competitive match, played in great spirit, in hot conditions with a very fast outfield. Both teams did well bowling to contain their opposition to relatively low totals. The prodigious turn of spinner Quinn Wardle (3/22) was a feature of the Waitaki bowling. The Willows did bat deep and a number of useful contributions were made by N Paltridge, R Petrie, G Dickson and B Stayt.

The Willows bowling was opened with and dominated by spin. However, slow-medium pacers Ben Stayt and Joel Lieschke took three wickets each. Spinners Stan Woolliscroft and Andrew Nuttall were both economical for their two wickets apiece.

Old boy of Waitaki’s great rival Timaru Boys’, Ben Stayt, was The Willows man of the match.