Steve McMorran
|
26th Match: Wellington v Otago at Wellington, 22 Jan 2002 Steve McMorran |
|
|
Otago innings:
Wellington innings: Pre-game: |
David Sales and Grant Donaldson were together at the drinks break, taken after 39 overs, and Wellington were 169-4, needing 100 runs to win from the last 11 overs at a tick under 10 per over.
Sales was 47 and Donaldson 37, scoring steadily but not quickly enough to defray Otago's heavy total, achieved after they h ad won the toss and batted.
Wellington, for the third time in as many matches, showed a complete inability to pace an innings.
A loss in this match could be extremely costly for Wellington who entered it with the hope not just of securing a home semifinal but also a home final in this season's Shield competition, which they have led from the outset.
Canterbury's bonus point win over Central Districts at Jade Stadium carried them close to Wellington, in their place on the Shield table, and made it possible for them to overhaul Wellington to take second place in their final round-robin match on Friday.
A win to Northern Districts in their match against Auckland in Hamilton today, with a bonus point, would lift them to a one-point lead over Wellington after nine rounds.
Wellington lost Chris Nevin for 15 in the sixth over and Matthew Bell, run out trying to increase the scoring rate, in the 14th over when he was 20.
Richard Jones, a key figure in a high-scoring match, was bowled by Craig Cumming for 27 in the 21st over and Mayu Pasupati, promoted in the order, was out for 17 in the 26th.
Wellington found the pitch a much more difficult proposition than Otago who had won the toss, batted and been all out off the last ball of the 50th over.
Nevin scratched for his 15 runs, playing and missing frequently outside off stump before he was bowled by James McMillan in the sixth over.
Bell had begun to free up and to push the scoring rate when he attempted a suicidal single in the 14th over and was run out, for 20, at the bowlers end. Rob Lawson had picked up the ball on the off side and hurled down the non-striker's stumps as Bell scrambled for his ground.
By drinks, after 19 overs, Wellington were 80-2 and Richard Jones and David Sales were linked in a vital partnership. Jones was 27 and Sales 12.
Hore made 102 and put on 154 in 110 minutes with Lawson for the first wicket as Otago revelled in ideal batting conditions after winning the toss.
Otago's final total - they were all out to the last ball of the also over - was probably less substantial than they might have managed, building on the platform given them by Hore and Lawson.
They were 107-0 after 20 overs and 141-0 after 25; finally 162-3 after 30 overs, from which point - according to cricket lore - they might have doubled their score.
An impressive late contribution of 41 from 42 balls from Lee Germon kept the scoreboard busy but the loss of five wickets in the last three overs., including three in the last over, curbed their scoring.
Hore was always the more aggressive of the opening pair and he had reached 43 when Otago posted their collective 50 from 6.2 overs. He reached his half century in 34 minutes from 32 balls and his 100, in the 31st over, in 125 minutes from 94 balls. His entire innings, which ended when he was run out in the 3th over, occupied 156 minutes and came from 103 balls with 14 boundaries and a six.
He played some superbly-judged lofted drives, particularly on the leg side, and explored gaps in every quarter of a lethargic Wellington field.
Lawson gave him ideal support and stayed with him through a total of 28 overs. He was the first Otago batsman out when they were 154, caught by wicketkeeper Chris Nevin off Mayu Pasupati.
Lawson reached his half century in 106 minutes, almost three times as long as Hore had taken, and from 80 balls. He batted a total of 110 minutes and hit three fours and a six.
Hore and Lawson took 17 runs from the first two overs from Mark Gillespie, who opened Wellington's attack from the southern end, and 18 runs including four fours from the first over from Paul Hitchcock who was brought on to curb the scoring.
Lawson's dismissal brought about a mini collapse - the loss within four balls of Chris Gaffaney and Craig Cumming, both without scoring. Hore was out when Otago were 172 in the 34th over and at that stage four wickets had fallen for 18 runs.
But Germon reignited teh innings and added 48 with Craig Pryor, who made 24 from 35 balls, and 33 with Martyn Croy.
Wickets tumbled in the last few overs and Paul Hitchcock, whose figures had been sick after his early difficulties, recovered to return 4-52 from 10 overs. Mayu Pasupati, in an outstanding performance in the context of the innings, took 2-26 from his 10 overs.
The partnership was broken when Lawson, the more subdued of the two, was out for 52 to the last ball of the 28th over. Hore was unbeaten on 89 and went on to his first century in limited overs matches by the end of the 31st over.
He was run out, hesitating on a single, in the 34th over when he was 102 and Otago were 172. The dismissal brought about the second drinks break of the Otago innings.
Lawson's dismissal heralded a mini collapse for Otago and they lost the wickets of Craig Cumming and Chris Gaffeney, both without scoring, withijn four balls in the 30th over. Cumming was run out after being sent back by Hore while attempting a single while Gaffeney was bowled middle stump by Mayu Pasupati.
Hore continued unruffled by those dismissals. He had reached his 50 from only 32 balls in 34 minutes and his 100 in even time.
Otago had raced through 50 in 25 minutes, to 100 in 18.5 overs and to 150 in 26.4 overs. They were 107 after 20 overs and 141 at the mid-point of their innings.
After 30 overs they were 162-3. On Hore's dismissal, Craig Pryor was left at the wicket on two not out and had been joined by his captain Lee Germon.
The combination of Hore's overt aggression and Wellington's poor bowling saw Otago reach their collective half century in only 6.2 overs, and in 25 minutes from 34 balls.
Hore peppered the Basin Reserve's boundaries with fours as he fully rewarded Otago's decision to bat on winning the toss.
Otago were 31-0 after five overs, with Hore 26, and 65-0 after 10 overs with Hore 51. Hore was 43 when Otago's half century was posted.
All of Wellington's bowlers suffered, and deservedly so because their length was poor and they gave the batsmen too much width. They mixed short pitched deliveries with full tosses which Hore and Rob Lawson punished with understandable relish.
Mark Gillespie suffered most, conceding 17 runs from his first two overs from the southern end. He returned from the northern end and bowled his next three overs at a further cost of 15 runs.
Paul Hitchcock, usually economical, tried the failed experiment of bowling around the wicket at first and conceded 18 runs from his first over, including four fours which carried Hore from 26 to 42. Hitchcock's first five overs cost 28 runs.
Hore was 65 when drinks were taken and Lawson, becoming more settled, was 27.
The weather, which began overcast and became partly cloudly, continues to improve.
Four points ahead of Northern Districts and nine points ahead of Canterbury after leading the competition through eight matches , Wellington are certain to feature in the Shield semifinals. But they are depending on their matches against Otago at the Basin Reserve today and against Auckland in Auckland on Friday to confirm first a home semifinal place, then direct enty to the February 2 final.
A win over Otago will ensure Wellington at least captures a home semifinal and a win over Auckland, which will leave Wellington with nine wins from 10 round-robin matches, will guarantee their direct progression to a final at the Basin Reserve.
Wellington's most recent performances against Canterbury last Friday and Central Districts at Waikanae on Sunday have lacked some of the sharpness and polish which characterised their play earlier in the season. They lost to Canterbury by 36 runs, breaking a six match winning streak, and beat Central by 10 runs in a run chase which was reassessed after rain.
In both matches Wellington posted only moderate totals in lack-lustre batting displays and bowled with less efficiency than they had through the first half of the season. Wellington's lack of urgency at the batting crease has been particularly notable but they have an opportunity to regain their intensity today on what seems a good batting pitch.
Otago have gained first use of that pitch by winning the toss and batting. They have named David Sewell 12th man while Wellington have once again named off-spinner Jeetan Patel 12th man and have omitted Andrew Penn from their squad of 13. Ashley Turner takes Penn's place again in the starting XI.
The weather is Wellington is partly cloudy and mild.
Teams:
Wellington: Matthew Bell (captain), Chris Nevin, Richard Jones, David Sales, Grant Donaldson, Matthew Walker, Mark Jefferson, Mayu Pasupati, Paul Hitchcock, Mark Gillespie, Ashley Turner, Jeetan Patel (12th man), Andrew Penn (13th).
Otago: Lee Germon (captain), Andrew Hore, Rob Lawson, Craig Cumming, Chris Gaffaney, Craig Pryor, Nathan McCullum, Nathan Morland, James McMillan, Kerry Walmsley, Martyn Croy, David Sewell (12th man).
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 22 Jan2002 - 22:39