3rd Match: Otago v Wellington at Queenstown, 2 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

3rd Match: Otago v Wellington at Queenstown, 2 Jan 2002
Warwick Larkins

Otago innings: Drinks, Final,
Wellington innings: Drinks, Close,
Pre-game: Queenstown,

OTAGO FALL 3 SHORT IN THRILLING FINAL OVERS.

The final twenty overs of the State Otago Volts innings resumed with their total at 74/4 needing 91 runs from 20 overs to defeat State Wellington Firebirds. Mayu Pasupati was now into the attack but Lee Germon and Martyn Croy were making an Otago fightback- nothing spectacular but slowly and gradually the runs were being gathered in - notch after notch.

But ,perhaps I spoke too soon as James Franklin bowled Germon for 13 after he played back and the ball kept slightly lower than usual . Poor Germon hobbled off the field desperately in need of physio treatment.

Otago's run chase was falling behind rather badly and with now 24 overs gone and the score 86/5 the asking rate was now 5.20 runs per over.

The situation for Otago deteriorated further when Croy was caught down the leg side by wicket-keeper Nevin off Matthew Walker for 14.

Otago 91/6 ( Craig Pryor 1 no ; Warren McSkimming 0 no ; )

Two more paltry overs from an Otago aspect and the score went to 93/6 from 27 overs. 72 runs required from 12 overs at 6 per over.

More joy for Wellington and gloom for Otago as McSkimming was caught down the leg side by Nevin off Paul Hitchcock for 2.

Otago 99/7 ( Pryor 6 no ; Nathan McCullum 1 no ; )

30 overs completed- Otago 103/7 - just 9 overs to go - 62 runs required at 6.88 per over.

Pryor and McCullum were trying their best to take Otago closer to the target of 165 but boundaries were non existent ( one had not been scored since the 13th over ) and they were exactly what was needed. Otago had unfortunately dug itself into a hole with most of its batsmen unable to move the ball around on a difficult wicket throughout their innings. 32 overs- 109/ 7 ( Pryor 8 no ; McCullum 7 no ; )

34th over and McCullum going for a big hit was caught by Walker off Pasupati for 10.

114/8 and Kerry Walsmley strides to the wicket to join his former Auckland team-mate Craig Pryor. Pryor hits a four and a six from Pasupati and at the end of the 34th over Otago 128/8- 5 overs to get 37 runs at 7.40 per over. A difficult task but not impossible. Wellington fielders collide attempting a catch off Pryor and Richard Jones leaves the field holding a towel to his head.

Pryor on 26 to face Walker- 4 overs to get 31 runs, but Pryor and Walmsley attempting a single saw Walmsley send Pryor back and him run out for 27. Otago 137/9

Otago's last batsman David Sewell to the wicket - Walmsley hits a four off Mark Jefferson - 37 overs gone - 145/9.

Walmsley hits the first ball of the 38th over from Walker for 4,then a single, and another to Sewell,and to Walmsley,2 to Sewell and the 38th over concludes with the total at 154/9.

The last over begins-11 runs needed for victory- Hitchcock to bowl the last over - Walmsley gets 2 ,- 9 needed - a leg bye - 8 needed- a single -7 needed -3 balls remaining-a boundary needed - a single - 2 balls -6 needed - 2 runs - 4 needed- 1 ball - no run and Wellington win by 3 runs.

A game which had many stages and one which Otago could have won if their batting had been more ordered but nevertheless on a difficult wicket Wellington scored 3 more runs in difficult conditions in an exciting last few overs and so deserved their win- no bonus points to either side.

Wellington bowling- James Franklin- 8-1-27-3 ; Andrew Penn 6-0-35-0 ; Paul Hitchcock 8-0-26-1 ; Matthew Walker 8-0-24-2; Mayu Pasupati 7-1-28-1 ; Mark Jefferson 2-0-10-0 ;

OTAGO MAKES HARD WORK OF RUN CHASE.

Commencing their chase for 165 runs for victory in the State Shield game State Otago Volts opened with Brendon McCullum and Andrew Hore. State Wellington Firebirds with Andrew Penn and James Franklin opening the bowling presented a formidable duo for the Otago batsmen and all eyes were on Brendon McCullum the New Zealand selection prospect.

McCullum called Hore through for a run off a no ball and Hore was caught hopelessly short but Franklin knocked the wickets with his hands before the ball arrived and should have had to pull a wicket from the ground but the umpire Dave Quested said out and that's that.

Otago 5/1- 2 overs Craig Cumming joined Brendon McCullum and the pair found scoring difficult on the slow pitch. Franklin was bowling well and a full delivery to McCullum hit him low down and he was adjudged LBW for 8.

Otago 19/2 from 6 overs. The seventh over saw an onslaught by Cumming who took 10 from an over of Penn's and with the addition of 3 wides and a no ball the score jumped to 33/2.

Paul Hitchcock replaced Penn at the western end and seemed to be getting the ball through quicker than his predecessor. 41/2- 9 overs.

The 10th over saw disaster for Otago when Cumming was bowled by Franklin for 19 -a bail fell to ground- and Otago were 46/3 .( Chris Gaffaney 7 no ; Lee Germon 0 no ; ).

Germon was obviously in pain with some type of upper leg injury and was using Brendon McCullum as a runner. This injury had developed in the 4 day game and was not healed at all . Gaffaney who had been hit several times in the pads by Matthew Walker was looking very uncomfortable and finally holed out to Mark Jefferson at point for 7. Otago 57/4 - 14 overs

With the half way stage in the Otago innings approaching they were falling behind and required urgency in their batting. Martyn Croy had joined his captain Germon and they were trying their best to keep the score moving with singles and two's but it was a few boundaries that were needed. Otago 66/4 off 17 overs. ( Germon 10 no ; Croy 3 no ; )

"Voltman" the Otago team mascot was preparing to do a round of the ground at drinks. At the lunch break he had been bowled at by umpteen school children and dismissed by some of them. Not a very nice experience for "Voltman" alias Mathew Smith the sometimes Albion CC in Dunedin's senior right arm leg spinner.

At the conclusion of the 19th over and drinks Otago had reached 74/4 ( Germon 12no ; Croy 6 no ; )

OTAGO SET GETTABLE TOTAL.

Resuming at 58/2 against State Otago Volts ,State Wellington Firebirds found itself facing an off spinner in Nathan McCullum for the first time in the game. Just 20 overs to complete their innings and it was time to increase the tempo.

This , Wellington managed to do with some well timed scoring shots off McCullum by Nevin and the situation for them was progrssing nicely when David Sales going for a big hit was caught by Lee Gerom at mid off from the bowling of Cumming for 13. Wellington 72/3.

Enter Richard Jones, the hero of Wellingtons four day victory over Otago at Carisbrook with 171. Wellington 87/3 from 25 overs ( Nevin 49no ; Jones 9 no ; ) Chris Nevin reached his fifty off 79 balls with 4 fours in the 26th over and the Wellington hundred attained off 166 balls in the 29th over. ( Nevin 59 no ; Jones 19 no ; )

Craig Pryor replaced McCullum from the eastern end and on the 5th ball of his first over cleaned bowled Jones for 21. Wellington 113/4- (30 overs)

David Sewell the North Otagoan from Oamaru accompanied Pryor from the western end and bowled a very tight over for the 31st of the innings -only 4 runs from it .

A strong wind has suddenly sprung up and all around the ground spectators are chasing items-we in the open press box rush to find paper weights to secure belongings. 121/4 from 32 overs. ( Nevin 64no ; Penn 7 no ; )

Sewell dropped a caught and bowled chance from Nevin and 12 runs were scored from his over. Only 6 overs to go in the innings and Wellington 133/4 . Otago would be disappointed to have grounded 4 not extremely difficult chances.

But no sooner than the last statement made when Germon took a fine catch to dismiss Penn for 12 off McCullum . 143/5 ( Nevin 75 no ; Franklin 0 no ; ) Matthew Walker followed immediately, lbw McSkimming 0 . Wellington 146/6

Now in the 35th over - only 4 to go to complete the innings. M.Y. Pasupati had joined Nevin who in the heat of the afternnoon would be quite weary as he moved into the 80's . Pasupati didn't last long and was bowled Walmsley for 1 and just as quickly Mark Jefferson the next batsman was also bowled Walmsley for 1. Wellington 151/8 ( Nevin 81 no ; Franklin 0 no ; ) at the commencement of the 38th over.

Final over of the Wellington innings about to begin with that side totalling 155/8. Kerry Walmsley to bowl and in keeping with his previous overs bowled economically to conceed only only 9 including 2 off side wides to end the Wellington innings at 164/8.( Nevin 87 no Franklin 3 no :) This meant that a run per over rate of 4.20 was the target for Otago.Wellington owed a lot to Nevin who had batted through the innings,with none of his team-mates contributing substantially to their total.

Otago had bowled well without being lethal on a wicket that early on gave the bowlers some assistance.

Kerry Walmsley 8-1-30-3 ; Warren McSkimming 8-0-18-2 (outstanding spell ) Craig Cumming 8-0-30-1 ; David Sewell 6-0-34-0 ; Nathan McCullum 6-0-36-1; Craig Pryor 3-0-10-1..

Play resumes after a break of 35 minutes.

WELLINGTON FIND RUN SCORING DIFFICULT.

Play in the Otago Volts versus Wellington Firebirds State Shield game at the beautiful Queenstown Events Centre got under way two hours late due to overnight and previous day's heavy rain leaving the pitch and run ups very wet.

Otago won the toss and put Wellington into bat in this reduced overs contest which will now be 39 overs per side, a limit of 4 bowlers to bowl 8 overs and one bowler 7 overs.

Kerry Walmsley opened the bowling for Otago and immediately impressed conceeding only one run to Chris Nevin. Warren McSkimming making a welcomed return to the Otago side after injury captured the valued wicket of Wellington captain Matthew Bell in his first over- caught by Nathan McCullum at mid off for no score. Wellington 3/1

This new ground in Queenstown or to be more precise, Frankton which is about 5k's away from Queenstown towards to Dunedin is set in a beautiful Central Otago rural atmosphere. Surrounded by hills and mountains with the Clutha river nearby flowing into magnificent Lake Wakatipu Cricinfo staff spoke to some French Canadians this morning who in some pretty impressive prose marvelled at the scenery. 32% in School Certificate french does not allow me to translate completely accurately.

After 5 overs Wellington 8/1 ( Nevin 3no ; Stephen Fleming 1 no ; ) Batting was obviously difficult on a pitch which was reasonably slow and not coming on to the batsmen and Stephen Fleming perhaps in frustration after experiencing some time recently on faster Australian wickets tried to accelerate but with head in the air was bowled by Walmsley. Wellington 19/2 after 9 overs.

In the eleventh over Nevin took to Walmsley and despatched him for 10 runs with the Wellington total going to 29/2.

Craig Cumming replaced McSkimming at the western end of the ground ,conceeded a couple and the score had reached 36/2 after 13 overs.

Drinks were due to be taken in 3 overs time after 19 overs in this 39 overs per innings game. Wellington 47/2 ( Nevin 31 no ; David Sales 3 no ; )

A light plane took off in the field next to the ground-as the limit of my aeroplane knowledge is Friendships and Viscounts I cannot possibly identify it suffice to say it was not of Richard Pearce's era.

The Wellington 50 arrived off 104 balls.

Drinks now being taken after 19 overs with the Wellington score being 58/2 ( Nevin 37 ; Sales 6 ; )

RAIN PUTS DAMPER ON QUEENSTOWN'S PARTY.

It seems entirely appropriate that after 141 years Queenstown, jewel of the Otago and New Zealand tourism industry should host its first official match between two senior provinces. And so today we see Otago play Wellington at the Queenstown Events Centre in the first round of the State Shield.

William Gilbert Rees founded Queenstown with his family in 1861- an Englishman from Gloucestershire he was the uncle of William Gilbert Grace the great English cricket legend of the 19th century who became in his time the best known Victorian after Queen Victoria.

WG's mother, Martha Rees had ensured that her family was a very tight unit and 'W G' knew his uncle Rees very well and contact was maintained between Downend in Gloucestershire and Queenstown,Otago. 'W G' will rest well knowing that his beloved cricket is alive and well in the colonies all those years after his demise.

The first round of the State Shield sees Otago wounded after 4 consecutive outright defeats in the 4 day game try to ressurrect itself in the one day arena when they take on a strong Wellington side which has just inflicted on them an 8 wicket defeat chasing 352 runs at Carisbrook.

Heavy rain in Queenstown( 3 inches in 4 hours) has left the start of the game in doubt. Torrential rain on New Years day left flooding on the wicket area and early morning showers contibuted further to a damp scenario. The sun is shining at the moment but further rain is forecast and the pitch is being frantically rolled in an attempt to get all moisture removed.

The teams are- State Otago Volts- Lee Germon (Captain) , Brendon McCullum , Andrew Hore , Craig Cumming , Chris Gaffaney , Martyn Croy, Nathan McCullum , Craig Pryor , Rob Smith , David Sewell , Kerry Walmsley , Warren McSkimming .( 12th man to be announced )

State Wellington Firebirds- Matthew Bell (Captain) , Chris Nevin , Richard Jones , Grant Donaldson , David Sales , Stephen Fleming , Paul Hitchcock,Mathew Walker, Mark Jefferson , Mayu Pasupati , Andrew Penn , James Franklin .( 12th man to be announced )

We await advice from the umpires as to the starting time.