Loss to ND huge learning experience for young Otago team
THE positive news is Otago will not play a team that good again this season.
And there were some other promising storylines despite an eightwicket defeat to Northern Districts in Mount Maunganui yesterday.
Expectations in the South had plummeted when news emerged Northern Districts would field a side featuring six internationals.
That gloomy outlook was justified when Otago slumped to be all out for just 108 in its first innings. But some wonderful spells from Nathan Smith (three for 34) and Matthew Bacon (four for 31) dragged the Volts back into the match.
Opener Hamish Rutherford batted superbly in the second innings. He got through a combative spell from Neil Wagner and Trent Boult on a responsive pitch to post his 12th firstclass century and perhaps one of his best.
But ultimately Northern Districts was left chasing 204 runs for victory and Kane Williamson made batting look that much easier than anyone else. He eventually holed out for 83 trying to loft legspinner Michael Rippon for a second six in the over. But his dismissal came much too late for Otago.
Opener Henry Cooper made 66 not out to help his side overhaul the target.
History will record a comfortable victory for the home team.
Volts coach Rob Walter felt his side could have been more ruthless when Northern Districts was 59 for eight in its first innings.
Trent Boult smashed 61 from 37 to help his team snatch a modest lead of 28 runs.
‘‘We could have been a bit smarter in the way we executed our plans to Boult. That might have given us a lead instead of a deficit.
‘‘Would that have influenced the overall result in the game? Who is to know?
‘‘There is potential for us to improve there and, from a batting point of view, there is a hell of a lot the players will take out of it.
‘‘We have a very young and inexperienced group of batters who were up against a test bowling lineup on a good cricket wicket with a bit in it.
‘‘For them that is a huge learning experience. The only place you can get that experience is from competing against those types of bowlers.’’
Williamson put on a quality display of batting in Northern Districts’ second innings but he got a cracker from Smith on the opening day.
That will have done wonders for Smith’s confidence.
But just watching Williamson bat and how he went about his work yesterday was a lesson ‘‘for our young bowling group’’.
‘‘They got to bowl to one of the best batsmen in the world and you can’t do that in the nets.
‘You have to go out there and bowl to batsmen of Williamson’s calibre to see where you need to improve.’’
No play was possible in Nelson or Wellington yesterday, so the other two games have not advanced and are seemingly destined for draws.
DUBAI: An emotional Usman Khawaja has fired back at his critics after scoring a matchsaving century for Australia that has been declared one of the great test innings.
With Australia facing seemingly insurmountable odds to save the first test in Dubai, Khawaja dug in at the crease for eight hours and 44 minutes to score his first century in Asia and help steer Australia to 362 for eight to earn a valiant draw.
Khawaja faced 302 balls for his 141, grinding out the secondlongest knock in the fourth innings of a test.
The 31yearold gazed to the sky and appeared to be overcome with relief as wife Rachel cried in the stands after he brought up his century shortly after lunch.
Khawaja has faced heavy scrutiny over his record in Asian conditions, while his elegant batting style has also fuelled an unfair perception of laziness.
‘‘People think because of my relaxed nature . . . that I’ve been gifted to be able to get to where I am,’’ he said.
‘‘But it’s not the case at all. ‘‘I’ve worked my absolute backside off for the last 10 years and really worked as hard as I can in different conditions like this and in England and other places.
‘‘People overlook that sort of stuff. You don’t get to play at the highest level without putting in the hard yards.’’
Chasing a worldrecord 462 to win, the touring side survived 140 overs in Dubai — an unprecedented effort to save a game for Australia.
Khawaja also scored a determined 85 in the first innings, combining with Aaron Finch for a 137run opening partnership.
All up, Khawaja spent almost 13 hours at the crease with temperatures in the high 30degCs.
‘‘That first innings was as tough as any innings I’ve played,’’ he said.
‘‘I came off the field with sweat through my shirt. My shirt was drenched and pants were drenched. That took it out of me a fair bit.
‘‘I was feeling pretty good for most of it until we got to the second session with one hour left before tea, then I was withering.
‘‘I was just asking for God to get the sun down so we could get some shade.’’
Concerns about Khawaja’s ability to handle turning tracks meant he was overlooked during last year’s test series in India and dropped after one test in Bangladesh.
The Queensland batsman has also had to battle critics closer to home despite averaging almost 60 in Australia.
Former Test wicketkeeper Ian Healy branded him ‘‘lazy’’ during last year’s Ashes — a label that Khawaja showed to be folly with his magnificent effort in Dubai.
Khawaja was ably asisted by captain Tim Paine who scored an unbeaten 61 to shepherd Australia through a perilous final hour.
‘‘We spoke preseries about the need to really fight here and show real patience,’’ Paine said.
‘‘We just fought, dug in and played a brand the Australian cricket team wants to play.’’— AAP