Tail helps Otago reach handy position
A STRONG finish to the day has left the Otago Volts in a handy position at the University Oval.
Otago led Auckland by 277 at stumps on day one of its Plunket Shield match yesterday.
The Volts were bowled out for 305, before striking twice in the last 12 overs to leave Auckland at 28 for two.
It took a fightback from the tail to help Otago through to that total, however, as its bottom three accounted for 100 runs.
Jacob Duffy, batting at nine, was the equal topscorer with 46, before Matthew Bacon and Michael Rae chipped in with 22 not out and 32 respectively.
Earlier, it had been fast bowler Lockie Ferguson who did the damage for Auckland.
He was devastating early in the day and at one point had figures of three for 19, and went on to finish with five for 63.
Hamish Rutherford was his first victim in just the fifth ball of the match.
The lefthander edged one to keeper Ben Horne while looking to drive on the front foot.
That meant Neil Broom joined Brad Wilson at the crease and the pair got the Volts through to 79 before Ferguson struck again.
He went through the defence of Broom to take out his off stump and dismiss him for 42.
Two balls later, he had his third, this time finding the edge of Anaru Kitchen, who was looking to drive on the front foot outside off.
When Matt McEwan found an edge to dismiss Brad Wilson for 31, things were looking bad for Otago at 96 for four.
Derek de Boorder offered some resistance, equalling Duffy’s topscore of 46, although Rob Nicol and James Neesham managed just 17 and 18 each.
That left Otago struggling at 175 for seven when de Boorder was dismissed by Jamie Brown.
At that point the tail mounted its fightback. Michael Rippon made 21, while Duffy managed eight fours to score his 46 of 56 balls.
Rae lifted the strike rate further, hitting three fours and two sixes in making 32 off just 26 balls.
Ferguson came back to make a couple of timely breakthroughs.
While he was the pick of the Auckland bowlers, McEwan and Ben Lister both managed two wickets each.
However, Otago took its momentum into the field.
Neesham struck first, claiming Sean Solia for five.
De Boorder dived to take a good catch after Solia inside edged one while looking to drive.
It was a good finish to the day for Neesham, who did not give up a run in either of his two overs.
Michael GuptillBunce went for 14 four overs later, being given lbw after a goodlength ball from Michael Rae.
Robert O’Donnell and McEwan were unbeaten on four and zero respectively at stumps.
In the other matches, Northern Districts were 158 for four in to reply to Wellington’s 137 all out in Wellington and Central Districts were 236 for three against Canterbury in Napier.