O’Neill picked up three wickets in both innings to help Souths roll the Redbacks for 79 and then 110.

“It’s a long time since we’ve taken 20 wickets on a day on a good wicket,” a delighted Souths skipper Tom Groth said.

Defending 293, which O’Neill was a big contributor to with a quick-fire 55, Souths broke through in the fifth over of the day with Angus McNeill removing Glen Lewington. Eight overs later he picked up Lachie Fauchon and Josh Dawson off successive balls to have Norths floundering at 3-14.

O’Neill then ripped through the middle order as they slumped to 6-18.

Peter Watson (28) and Tom Maloney (15no) stalled the rot briefly but Norths’ resistance didn’t last much past that.

Groth said he had no hesitation sending Norths back in.

“Not after the first innings,” he said.

“I thought our bowlers were fresh enough.”

“(And) It’s a pretty ordinary feeling when you have to go out and bat again.”

It didn’t take long for them to strike with McNeill trapping Fauchon in front the third over of the innings.

“I was really impressed with our opening bowlers again – Angus and Tom,” Groth said.

“They just bowled in good areas and bowled good balls and bowled well to their big dogs. Brendan (Rixon) came out and Tom lifted and didn’t give him an inch.” 

He picked up the Redbacks skipper both innings, the second making them 4-24 before collapsing to 8-67.

Dave Brannan (21) and Brad Redshaw (22) held firm for 10 overs to give Norths a glimmer of hope of holding out, but it was quashed by Ryan Meppem.

Groth was always confident they could finish off the job it was just a matter of juggling his bowlers.

“I just needed to give them (O’Neill and McNeill) a rest. I didn’t want to cook them,” he said.

“In saying that Troy (Osborne) bowled as good as the others.”

He as also again impressed with Meppem. 

Like they did in the first innings the bowlers all chipped in with McNeill snaring 2-26, Meppem 3-61, and Osborne 2-2.

Groth also remarked about their fielding. They probably only dropped one catch for the entire day and took some “rippers”.

Rixon said there were a lot of negatives to come out of it but a few positives too.

One of those was the efforts of Maloney. This season is the teenagers first as a first grade regular.

“He batted well in both digs,” Rixon said.

Sliding up to fourth he was their top-scorer in the second with 27.

Rixon had headed into Saturday optimistic they could chase the runs, but the batsmen didn’t deliver.

“I don’t think we put a big enough price on each of our wickets,” he said.

Souths did too bowl well.