Life has not been easy for Otago in this State Championship season and, as the season draws towards an end, as the last round of matches takes its course, there seems little possibility of an end to their suffering.

The best thing Otago could hope for when they began their final Championship match, against Central Districts at McLean Park in Napier today, was an end to the trail of outright losses - nine in nine games - which has made their season so long and insufferable.

At the end of the first day's play today, late in a season passed from summer into autumn, there was no such relief in sight. The first day's play was simply an exercise in repetition - a repeat of the trends and events which must now be ground into the memory of each Otago player.

There had been cause for hope, even for celebration, when Otago won the toss and with steady resolution, with patient and sensible use of advantageous conditions, had bowled out Central for 178 in 65 overs. At 90/5 shortly before lunch, at 139/8 in the middle session, Otago had Central in genuine difficulty and had an opportunity to dictate and dominate the match from its outset.

But by stumps at 5.30pm, a large part of Otago's obvious advantage had been frittered away. They were 59/3 after 26 overs, were yet 119 runs behind Central with seven first innings wickets in hand and the match had passed from their control into a position of relative balance.

The match was in every way indicative of Otago's season to date. They have bowled well in many matches using what appears to be multifarious bowling options - an astonishing variety of bowlers. And then, when circumstances seem to have leaned in their favour, their batting has let them down as it did so, resoundingly, today.

Day after day and round after round, Otago's difficulties have been obvious and insuperable. They play with an obvious spirit and a strong sense of belonging and determination but match by match their litany of losses has enlarged.

They will be hard pressed now to save this match unless someone, and Chris Gaffaney seems a likely candidate, steps up and saves this innings. Gaffaney, who faced the first ball of the innings immediately after tea tonight, was 33 not out when stumps were drawn.

He had lost his opening partner, the talented young international Brendon McCullum, for no score when Otago was only two in the second over. McCullum attempted to cut a ball with some force but, failing to control a shot aimed behind point, sparred the ball from Michael Mason directly to Campbell Furlong at second slip.

There were 39 runs on the board - Otago had begun to recover from McCullum's untimely loss - when Craig Cumming who is often an asset in a crisis was trapped lbw by Mason for 14. The third Otago wicket tumbled at 51 and in the 21st over and Otago had surrendered some of the initiative they had striven throughout the day to establish.

But some of that initiative was also reduced during Central's innings. Otago were fortunate to be allowed to bowl first on a pitch which had a greenish tinge and offered the possibility of some seam movement. It was difficult at the end of the day to say the ball had bounced or moved to any extraordinary degree but there were many false shots - a result of poor timing - which suggested their must have been some assistance for the bowlers.

With its start - it had Central 38/3 with Mathew Sinclair out for eight - Otago should have dismissed Otago for as little as 130 - for 150 in a worst-case scenario. Instead, they allowed them to escape from 139/8 mid afternoon.

Brent Hefford and Lance Hamilton, who each made 15, put on 35 for the last wicket. Those runs may prove costly as the match proceeds. On the balance of probabilities and unless Gaffaney finds some support early tomorrow, Central - with its talented medium pace attack - might be favoured to take first innings points.

There were no batting performances of great note today. Gaffaney's unbeaten 33 was the day's highest score.

Peter McGlashan made 29 for Central, Glen Sulzberger 25 and Jacob Oram 21. Oram and Sulzberger put on 43 for the fourth wicket which was the innings' largest partnership.

The wicket gave the appearance that it would reward application - that a batsman who got himself in might continue to work the ball and make runs but time after time promising innings were cut short.

Kerry Walmsley bowled several useful spells of vigorous and accurate medium pace. He was more lively in his second spell than his first and he often beat the bat. Craig Pryor, coming later into the attack, continued the good work Walmsley had begun.

Pryor finished with four for 49 from 18 overs; Walmsley on a busy day four for 53 from 22.

© CricInfo