Date-stamped : 18 Nov96 - 06:11
18 November 1996

CD Wins Inaugural Max Contest

HAMILTON -- Central Districts are the inaugural winners of the
Lance Cairns Shield in Cricket Max, the new half-day hybrid
version of the sport.

Central may have been the worst team in domestic one-day cricket
last summer, but it showed it will have to be taken seriously
this season when it came from a match down to win the three-game
series 2-1 at Trust Bank Park yesterday.

Central lost to Otago by 23 runs in the first of the 10-over,
two-innings Max matches on Saturday, but struck back to win the
second on a wicket countback, and then coasted home in the
decisive third match.

In an exciting second match, Otago needed 96 to win off its final
10 overs at the crease, but could only manage 95 for eight.

Martyn Croy scored a single off the final ball to tie the scores.

Central stayed in the hunt, having lost only eight wickets to
Otago's 14, and it made the most of it in the final match.

However, the drama was missing in the decider and there were
yawns galore as Central humbled Otago by 81 runs.

In reply to Central's 125, Otago lost five for 21 in the first
five overs and eventually managed 56 for eight -- the lowest of
the weekend's 10-over totals.

Otago never got back into the match. Central made 104 for three
in its second innings.

Even in a match where a single stroke can bring 12 runs, Otago's
target of 174 was unrealistic. It managed 92 for four.

The best exponents of the slog-fest were Central's Mark Douglas,
who made 56 off 30 balls in the second match, and Otago's Chris
Gaffaney, who took just 24 balls for his 64 in the same match.


Source :: The Christchurch Press (http://www.press.co.nz)

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