MATT HORNE GOES EARLY AND SCORELESS

Horne's partner, Howell, who had won the last game against Central Districts with an undefeated century, had most of the early action against the hostile pace of Walmsley, while Horne seemed to be waiting the arrival of another big score to go along with his one-day tallies of 55, 33, 60, 76, 67 and 68.

Instead there was a stunned silence among the few hundred spectators when Horne, scoreless, drove rather carelessly at McMillan and at mid-off Germon dived forward to take a fine, low catch. So Auckland were 21 for one after 3.3 overs, and the Otago fieldsmen were obviously delighted.

Howell took over the attacking roll, with two powerful fours from McMillan to then short boundary, which took Auckland past 25 in five overs, and followed up with a pull-shot for four and then a straight-drive for another boundary, at some damage to Walmsley's bowling figures.

Barnes took time to get his scoring organised, but the Otago bowlers helped out. After nine overs, by which time Auckland was 47 for one wicket, the Auckland score contained 15 extras -- 3 legbyes and 12 wides.

But then the McMillan-Germon trap was sprung again, this time snaring the other Auckland batting expert, Howell.

The strongly-built Aucklander aimed at hitting McMillan over the boundary at long off, but mistimed the stroke. The ball soared steeple-high, and under it Germon steadied, and held the catch safely. Howell had five fours in his 25, and Auckland was 48 for two wickets.

Worse was to follow for the home side when Crabb was beaten off the pitch by McMillan and Croy standing back had the catch -- Auckland 54 for three after 11 and a half overs.

The course of the game was spoiled when light rain sent the players from the field, Auckland 67 for three wickets after 13.5 overs, Barnes 12 not out, Horsley 7 not out.

PRYOR BRILLIANT IN OTAGO RUN FEAST

They raised a 50 partnership from only 49 balls and Pryor sprinted away, hitting Walker 2-4-2 in one over (the boundary from a superb sweep backward of square) as Otago reached 193 with ten overs remaining.

A solid Germon thump for four to mid-wickets took Otago to 200, the last 50 from 46 balls, and Pryor celebrated by hitting a six into Sandringham Road to raise his own 50 from 61 balls, with three fours as well as the six.

This was Pryor's first half-century of the season for Otago, and Germon soon had the similar distinction when he reached his 50 from only 47 balls, with seven fours.

A second Pryor six helped raise the 100-run stand from only 83 balls -- the second 50 came from 34 balls -- with 13 coming from the 43rd over.

Now both batsmen went full-tilt on attack. Germon was dropped at long on, but when he skied a ball from Walker, Crabb made certain of the catch at mid-on -- Otago 230 for five.

Croy also chased the fast runs, but missed a big swing at Haslam at 240 and was stumped. Pryor answered that setback with a six from Haslam that went over long on like a rocket, and he followed with a more sedate six over wide mid-wicket from the next ball.

Canning struck back by getting Morland lbw with as fulltoss at 259 for seven with the last ball of the 46th over, with Pryor on 85 with 24 balls remaining.

Drum bowled a dot ball to Pryor, who clipped the next for two, and then sent a raking drive to the sightscreen which a fieldsmen helped over the boundary. Two balls later Pryor hit the best stroke of his innings, a mighty pull at a flier from Drum and just inside the mid-wicket boundary Howell pulled in a brilliant catch.

Pryor's 91 came from only 83 balls, with five fours and four sixes, and Auckland collected the wicket at 265 for eight. Two overs left, Otago 266 for eight. Four runs, and then McCullum flicked a catch to Coleman at mid-wicket, giving Canning his third wicket.

Otago were 270 for nine facing the last over and Walmsley, tried to hit out, only to be caught by Canning and finished the Otago innings at 275.

OTAGO MAKE STEADY PROGRESS

Haslam took some punishment, too, causing Walker, the Auckland skipper and leg-spinner, to replace Coleman, whose three overs had cost 16 runs.

The move was instantly successful for Gaffaney, usually so strong of stroke, made a rather tentative jab at Walker's first ball and the catch went easily to Crabb at short mid-wicket.

The new batsman, Pryor, settled into his usual free-flowing style, and a short ball from Haslam was hammered to the distant mid-wicket boundary. Lawson, now content to play the sheet-anchor, moved to 37 and raised the Otago 100 in the 25th over -- the second 50 from 67 balls compared with 79 balls for the first.

With Pryor gaining confidence, Lawson regained his scoring rhythm and the Otago score began to move smartly again. Lawson hit a magnificent four from Walker through extra-cover, and then pulled Haslam for another boundary to get to 49.

Then, quite inexplicably, Lawson played a very tentative drive at Haslam, and Walker had an easy catch at mid-off. Lawson's 49 had come from 88 balls, with five fours, and he left with Otago 1256 for four in the 29th over.

Walker then eased the pressure on Pryor and the new batsman Germon by resting Haslam after eight overs and bringing on the spare-time medium-pace of Horne.

Germon cut the first ball from Horne for four, and hit another boundary through the covers in the same over. Changing ends, Germon then took two boundaries from Walker, the second a dazzling drive through mid-off.

The score went quickly to 150, the last 50 taking only 54 balls, and Walker spelled himself, after seven overs for 27 runs and one wicket.

The next change of personnel came during the drinks break, with Otago 161 for four wickets (Pryor 28, Germon 21) when the umpire Doug Cowie, who had strained a calf muscle, was replaced by Brent Bowden, the third test-ranked umpire to be used in this match.

OTAGO RECOVER AFTER SETBACK

Lawson clipped Drum for two to the long boundary in his first over and then rifled two fours to the short boundary -- taking 12 from the over. Hore joined the party with a strong straight drive for four from the other opening bowler, Canning, and the Otago score sprinted into the 30s from seven overs.

Suddenly Auckland struck back. Drum, bowling a tighter length, beat Hore's defence as the Otago left-hander tried to work the ball to leg and umpire Dunne gave him out lbw. This wicket fell at 32m and three runs later Canning struck a sterling blow for Auckland, knocking out the leg stump of thre well-performed Craig Cumming before he had scored.

These setbacks caused Otago to regroup, and after ten overs the score was a moderate 36 for two. Gaffaney got the score moving again with a blazing four to long leg from Canning's seventh over which brought up the Otago 50 from 79 balls.

With the third seamer, Coleman, not looking dangerous Walker, the Auckland captain, had Haslam, the slow left-armer -- and perhaps Auckland's most consistent performer this season -- into the attack in the 15th over.

Coleman changed ends, and Young, the keeper, gave him slightly more impact by standing up to his medium pace, but Lawson and Gaffaney handled Coleman, and Haslam bowling a rather defensive line, comfortably enough and Otago went to drinks at 68 for two wicketsafter 17 overs.

PATIENCE NEEDED AT EDEN PARK

Both teams warmed up without difficulty on the lush outfield. but the pitch remained covered with scrim as there was the lightest of rain showers coming from the low overhead clouds.

The senior umpires for the match, Doug Cowie and Steve Dunne, had their ritual inspection 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, but decided that while the barely noticeable light rain was present they could not start. They agreed that if the match had already started in fine weather the flimsy rain would not have made the players leave the field.

Fortunately, there was a break in the light drizzle, time for the umpires to plan an 11.30 am start, with Otago batting after winning the toss.

In the meantime Auckland and Otago completed their preliminaries, with Gareth Shaw (replacing the injured Kyle Mills), being made the Auckland 12th man, while Otago opted to play two off-spinners, Nathan Morland and Nathan McCullum, and left out the former New Zealand seamer David Sewell.

Teams:--

Auckland: Brooke Walker(captain), Matt Horne, Llorne Howell, Aaron Barnes, Nick Horsley, Tama Canning, Reece Young, Chris Drum, Mark Haslam, Guy Coleman, Terry Crabb, Gareth Shaw (12th man).

Otago: Lee Germon (captain), Andrew Hore, Robbie Lawson, Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney, Craig Pryor, Martyn Croy, Nathan Morland, Nathan McCullum, James McMillan, Kerry Walmsley, David Sewell (12th man).

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Date-stamped : 18 Jan2002 - 10:32