Southland cricket team

Southland are a cricket team representing the Southland Region of New Zealand. They compete in the Hawke Cup.

Southland first played interprovincial cricket in 1864, and often played against touring teams from Australia, Fiji and England. The Southland Cricket Association was formed in 1892, leading to an increase in representative matches, including the annual match against Otago, which began in 1893-94 and continued until the 1980s. In 1910-11 Southland were the first winners of the Hawke Cup.

Southland had first-class status from 1914-15 to 1920-21. They played eight first-class matches, winning one, losing five and drawing two.

In 1914-15 they played two matches against Otago, losing the first and drawing the second. In the first match, at Rugby Park, Invercargill, Otago made 166 (Jack Doig taking 7 for 46) and 85 for 3 declared, and Southland 71 and 62. In the second match, at Carisbrook, Dunedin, Southland made 226 (Arthur Poole scoring 77, which remained Southland's highest score) and 152, Otago 212 and 50 for 3.

In 1917-18 at Carisbrook, Otago won by an innings, making 313 and dismissing Southland for 149 and 108. The opening batsman Horace Gleeson scored 55 (Southland's only other score of 50 or more) and 21. In 1918-19 at Rugby Park, Otago made only 94 and 88 (Jack Doig taking 5 for 43 and 5 for 41), yet still comfortably defeated Southland, Henry Holderness and Arthur Alloo dismissing them for 41 and 55. Only six players on either side reached double figures.

In 1919-20 they lost their first match against Otago at Carisbrook by an innings, scoring only 55 and 42 to Otago's 144 (in which Dan McBeath took 7 for 59). However, they won the return match at Rugby Park. Otago batted first, scoring 180, with Dan McBeath taking 7 for 66. Southland replied with 179. Then Doig (6 for 21) and McBeath (4 for 28) dismissed Otago for 50. Needing 52 to win, Southland lost wickets cheaply but McBeath, who had made 32 in the first innings, this time made 28 not out and took Southland to victory by four wickets.

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