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Canterbury Country has won district cricket's top trophy.

It beat Wellington City yesterday to win the national districts cup - originally the Hawke Cup - the symbol of minor association supremacy.

Country eventually easily beat Wellington City outright by 10 wickets at Karori Park, but not before the game was effectively decided during a nerve-racking first innings battle.

Country looked destined to return home empty handed when it slumped to 141 for nine, still needing another 30 runs to secure the vital first innings advantage.

But Michael Sharpe, batting No. 10, and last man Hamish Pavey managed to eke out the runs, Sharpe completing a splendid half century.

Sharpe, a former Canterbury medium-fast bowler, shouldered the run-scoring burden, while Pavey supported him admirably.

The pair defied the Wellington spin bowlers' best attempts to dislodge them, with off-spinner Mike Morrison and leg-spinner Lance Dry bowling almost throughout the rest of the innings yesterday, after Country had resumed at 84 for three.

It then lost six wickets for 49 runs after the fourth-wicket stand between Harley James and Mark Patterson was broken.

``It was a great last-wicket stand that got us through. It was so tense and they had fielders crowded around the bat,'' said Country manager Mike Satterthwaite.

Eventually Country secured a lead of 22 and then, in the time remaining, Wellington City chased quick runs, losing wickets apace to set Country a token target of 78.

Country was untroubled to score the 78 it needed from just 12 of the maximum of 27 overs, with Danny Bulman completing a memorable match by slamming an unbeaten 59 to go with his 11-wicket match haul.

Country's first defence of the cup will be against Dunedin City at Rangiora's Dudley Park from March 6-8, which clashes with a Shell Trophy match between Canterbury and Otago scheduled for the ground at the same time.

The trophy match will probably be shifted to Queen Elizabeth II Park from March 5-8.

Country has now won the cup four times, but has yet to defend it successfully.