15th Match: Otago v Northern Districts at Alexandra, 12 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

15th Match: Otago v Northern Districts at Alexandra, 12 Jan 2002
Warwick Larkins

Otago innings: After 25., All out.,
Pre-game: preview, Preview,
Northern Districts innings: At drinks., After 50.,

NORTHERN DEFEAT OTAGO.

Twenty seven overs completed and the State Otago Volts had lost another wicket. Craig Pryor attempting to loft a ball off Grant Bradburn was caught by Hamish Marshall with a fine running catch at deepish mid off . Otago Volts 113/6. ( Germon 6 no ; Nathan McCullum 0 no ; )

230 seemed a long way off for them and the State Northern Knights were certainly in the box seat and further so when McCullum played onto Joseph Yovich for 4. Otago Volts 126/7. ( Lee Germon 13 no ; Kerry Walmsley 0 no ; )

Unfortunately for Otago but delight for Northern when Walmsley was bowled by Yovich for 0. Otago Volts 126/8. Otago still 103 runs to get - 15 overs to go - but only 2 wickets in hand.

Northern Knights well on top and moving quite quickly towards victory- several members of past Otago teams looked on sadly around the ground- Ian Rutherford , Stu McCullum and Stephen Boock. Germon was trying desperately to accelerate the scoring but hasn't it seems really got the equipment to do such a thing and in the 38th over saw his partner Rob Smith caught Robbie Hart bowled Graeme Aldridge for 7.

Otago Volts 138/9 after 40 overs ( Germon 21 no ; McMillan 0 no ; )

With the last Otago pair at the wicket Germon obviously decided it was "Sydney or the bush" and proceeded to attack the bowling and quite effectively too. 41 overs gone and The Volts 155/9 but Germon trying to hit one down the leg side from Simon Doull just succeeded to lofting it to Daryl Tuffey at fine leg and was out for 34 . James McMillan remained 2 no and Otago Volts were all out for 155 - a victory to Northern Knights by 74 runs.

Bowling for the Knights - Graeme Aldridge- 8-0-25-3 ; Simon Doull 7.2-0-32-2 ; Daryl Tuffey- 8-0-35-1 ; Joseph Yovich 8-0-34-2 ; Grant Bradburn 10-1-28-2 :

A much deserved win to the State Northern Knights who out batted the Volts on a holding pitch. They looked much more competent mainly due to the sound batting of the Marshall twins.

OTAGO MAKE HEAVY WEATHER OF RUN CHASE.

Chasing 230 for a win should not be too hard a task on a better than average batting pitch but initially for the State Otago Volts at the conclusion of the first over against the State Northern Knights it had taken on the appearance of a considerable challenge.

Andrew Hore , from the second ball of the innings got an edge from Daryl Tuffey and was caught at 2nd slip by Grant Bradburn for 2.

Otago Volts 2/1 ( Robbie Lawson 0 no ; Craig Cumming 0 no ; )

The Volts made a slight recovery with Robbie Lawson and Craig Cumming leading the way until Lawson who had scored 23 off 23 balls ballooned a cut from the bowling of Graeme Aldridge to Joseph Yovich who caught it running in at 3rd man. Otago Volts 42/2 - ( Cumming 20 no ; Chris Gaffaney 0 no ; )

Gaffaney who is having a " bad trot " with the bat was again not to last long when he was on his way for 2- caught by wicket-keeper and Northern Knights captain Robbie Hart from Aldridge. Otago Volts 51/3.

Craig Pryor joined Cumming in the attempt to further the Volts towards vicory and at the end of the 20th over the score had reached 81/3 ( Cumming 41 no ; Pryor 9 no ; ) but for Otago disaster ,as in the next over Cumming drove a ball from Grant Bradburn, failed to keep it on the ground and was caught and bowled for 43. Otago Volts 83/4

The Otago Volts batting was proving to be as laboured as Northern Knights had been earlier-perhaps the Molyneux Park pitch with the recent damp weather and precious little sun on it was not as conducive to the free flowing batsmanship we have seen here in the past.

It certainly seemed that way as Martyn Croy was clean bowled by Simon Doull for 10 to see the Volts at 96/5 ( Pryor 13no ; Lee Germon 0 no ; )

At the end of the 25th over Otago Volts were 105/5.

NORTHERN KNIGHTSMEANDER TO 229/8.

State Otago Volts won the toss and put State Northern Knights into bat in the State Shield game at Molyneux Park , Alexandra with vastly improved conditions than were present at the ground one hour before play.. Sun is trying to break through a cloudy sky and resulting from this attempt the temperature has risen dramatically.

Kerry Walmsley bowled the first over for Otago to James Marshall and after a call for sawdust for the bowlers run - up after the first ball , Craig Pryor dropped Marshall at 2nd slip -a low but catchable chance.

After 3 overs - Northern Knights 9/0 ( James Marshall 2 no ; Simon Doull 4 no ; )

No great drama's in the next three overs but then Doull was beaten and bowled by James McMillan for 11.

Northern Knights 21/1 ( Marshall 4 no ; Matthew Hart 0 no ; ) Walmsley and McMillan were unfortunately for the Otago Volts bowling more than their fair share of wides which was proving some concern. However the major concern was to be when Matthew Hart ,his front pad well down the wicket was hit by Craig Pryor and adjudged LBW for 10. These front foot LBW's are sweeping the country like an epidemic - each umpire passing on the disease as they meet at different venues. Northern Knights 44/2

The game seemed to lack any sense of urgency as the Volts continued to bowl wides ( 14 had been bowled ) and the Knights batted in a a very casual manner.

16 overs gone- Northern Knights - 59/2 ( James Marshall 18 no ; Mark Bailey 8 no ; )

Mark Bailey was not to add to his score as he clipped Nathan McCullum backward of point to be caught by Rob Smith . Northern Knights 68/3.

James Marshall was joined by his twin Hamish as the twenty first over of the innings began. Northern Knights 71/3 .

PEDESTRIAN BEGINNING BY NORTHERN KNIGHTS.

After 3 overs - Northern Knights 9/0 ( James Marshall 2 no ; Simon Doull 4 no ; )

No great drama's in the next three overs but then Doull was beaten and bowled by James McMillan for 11.

The game seemed to lack any sense of urgency as the Volts continued to bowl wides ( 14 had been bowled ) and the Knights batted in a a very casual manner.

16 overs gone- Northern Knights - 59/2 ( James Marshall 18 no ; Mark Bailey 8 no ; )

Mark Bailey was not to add to his score as he clipped Nathan McCullum backward of point to be caught by Rob Smith . Northern Knights 68/3.

James Marshall was joined by his twin Hamish as the twenty first over of the innings began. Northern Knights 71/3 .

STAGE SET FOR CRUCIAL ENCOUNTER UNDER GLOOMY CENTRAL OTAGO SKIES.

A light meter may be what is neded before play can get under way in the State Shield match between Otago and Northern Districts at Molyneux Park, Alexandra today. In what has been a very wet summer for almost all New Zealand so far, Alexandra has not escaped. Fruit has been significantly damaged and the sun is quite a stranger.

Second placed Northern Districts with 3 wins from 4 games has a very experienced team with six internationals in Simon Doull , Matthew Hart , Mark Bailey , Hamish Marshall , Grant Bradburn , and Darryl Tuffey and has arguably the most batting depth of any side in the country. That depth was shown to its best when Robbie Hart their captain who has two first class centuries batting at No 9 steered the side with Tuffey to victory at Whangarei recently .

Otago who had its last game against Central Districts at Nelson abandoned due to rain had previously recorded a signal victory against Canterbury and it now lies in fourth position on the table with every chance of moving up the table.

The weather prospects remain a concern and with a dark sky , cool temperatures , and possible showers , all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.

The Teans are-

Otago - Lee Germon ( Captain ) , Andrew Hore , Robbie Lawson , Craig Cumming , Chris Gaffaney , Craig Pryor , Martyn Croy , Nathan McCullum ,Kerry Walmsley , Rob Smith , James McMillan , David Sewell . ( 12th man to be named )

Northern Districts- Robbie Hart (Captain ) , James Marshall , Simon Doull , Matthew Hart , Mark Bailey , Hamish Marshall , Grant Bradburn , Jaden Hatwell , Joseph Yovich , Daryl Tuffey , Graeme Aldridge , Ian Butler. ( 12th man to be named )

Hopefully the games will start on time in an hour at 12.noon.

ANDREW SCHWASS THE BIG HOPE

Central Districts coach Dipak Patel decided to try some old magic when he sent out his team for the State Shield one-day match against Auckland at the Eden Park outer oval today.

On January 16 last year Central Districts staggered a small Auckland crowd by ripping the home side out on the same field for only 73 runs, leading to CD winning for the loss of only two wickets in 14.4 overs.

The man who did the major damage that day, Andrew Schwass has been in and out of the Central team this season, but Patel said before the start of play that he wanted Schwass in his side as a specialist Eden Park bowler, and as adding some strength to the Central batting.

Central will also bring in a new opening batsman, the 6ft 3in John Nelson in place of Jamie How, who has scores of 7, 36 and 0 in one-day matches this season. Auckland will also have a new player, Guy Coleman, a Grafton club medium-fast bowler.

Kyle Mills, a late withdrawal from the touring New Zealand team, will play, but is not likely to test his damaged side muscles by bowling.

The capricious Auckland weather was in good humour, providing blue skies and high clouds and the prospect of a full day of play.

The umpires are Tony Hill and Ian Shine, and the teams are:--

Central Districts: Glenn Sulzberger, John Nelson, Mathew Sinclair, Ben Smith, Richard King, Campbell Furlong, Bevan Griggs, Andrew Schwass, Brent Hefford, Michael Mason, Lance Hamilton, Jamie How (12th man).

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