Otago’s first task to avoid followon

OTAGO has a mammoth effort ahead if it is going to avoid an innings defeat in its Plunket Shield match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

Devon Conway helped drive the home side into a power position with an undefeated 203 on day two.

He had wonderful support from fellow South African lefthander Malcolm Nofal, who blasted his second firstclass hundred yesterday.

The pair put on 192 for the fifth wicket to help Wellington reach 509 for five declared.

Otago slumped to 62 for four before recovering marginally to be 114 for five at stumps.

The Volts need another 395 runs to force Wellington to bat again. But the first target will be to reach 360 to avoid the followon.

The Volts have a long tail starting with the captain Jacob Duffy at No 9.

He is two more wickets away from batting.

Conway’s superb doublehundred was probably all that was standing in Wellington’s way of an earlier declaration. He resumed on 131 but rain clipped the morning session to just 14 overs.

Nofal, though, had time to bring up his hundred. He was 60 not out overnight and rushed through to 103.

Shortly after lunch he got an inside edge back on to his stumps and departed for 110.

Matt Bacon got the breakthrough and ended the stand which took the game away from the visiting side.

Conway continued his progress towards his second firstclass doublehundred and found another able partner in Lauchie Johns (36 not out).

By the time the declaration came, Otago had spent nearly 136 overs in the field so it was not surprising an early wicket fell.

Brad Wilson could not get going and was out trying to leave a delivery from Hamish Bennett. He got a deflection instead which crashed into his off stump.

Josh TasmanJones played at a delivery from Iain McPeake he could easily have left and joined his teammate in the shed not

long after.

What Otago desperately needed was a long partnership but instead form opener Hamish Rutherford was strangled down legside for 13.

The bowler got lucky that time but the next scalp was all his doing. He got the ball to jag back and trapped wicketkeeperbatsman Mitch Renwick lbw for 26.

Josh Finnie played with freedom despite the dire situation. He blazed Bennett through the covers for four shortly after arriving at the crease. But he nicked out for a breezy 33 in the last over of the day.

Shawn Hicks is 34 not out and has a lot of batting ahead if his side is going to wriggle out of a grim spot.

At Hagley Oval, Northern Districts and Black Caps allrounder Colin de Grandhomme (115) clobbered his 12th firstclass hundred to help his side reach 378. Canterbury is 83 for two in reply at stumps on day two.

Central Districts has a solid grip on its match against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval.

Auckland was bundled out for 184 in reply to 360. At stumps Central was 54 for three in its second innings.

JESS Davidson has turned her passion into a fulltime job.

The 20yearold has been working parttime at the Otago Cricket Association as a development office since September while she managed her studies at the University of Otago.

The Otago under21 representative finished her last exam yesterday and will graduate with a bachelor of science degree in sports management.

She has the long weekend ahead to celebrate and then it is down to her new challenge — helping convince the next generation of cricketers it is not a long and boring sport.

The game has been in recession at the grassroots but Davidson is brighteyed about its future.

She helped establish the Girls Smash programme last year, while working at the association as an intern, and believes the female game is starting to gather momentum.

But her focus is on both the female and male games.

Now she is fulltime she will be able to direct all her abundant energy into coming up with solutions to lure the young away from their phones and console games.

‘‘One of the challenges we are facing is we need to diversify. We need to offer new and innovative options and capture new audiences,’’ she said.

‘‘But also we have to make sure the traditionalists are still being served and there are still things that will keep them interested.’’

The bulk of her work will be going to the region’s schools to introduce the game to children and running the various tournaments on offer.

The Girls Smash gets under way again next month and there are holiday programmes and festival days to organise and run.

‘‘We’re doing everything we can to engage people.’’

Davidson grew up in a cricketmad household in Christchurch.

‘‘My dad was the junior club convener at New Brighton Cricket and I have four older brothers, so I guess I was just born into it.

‘‘I did a lot of fielding — no batting [in those backyard games].’’

Davidson has played for the Otago under21 team for the past two years and bats in the top order.

She loves her cricket but has been juggling a lot this year with her studies and work.

‘‘I’m mostly looking forward to sinking into my new job, so cricket is taking a bit of a back seat at the moment,’’ she said.

The righthander was one of the better performed batsmen last season.

Her dream growing up was to play provincial cricket. But goals change and Davidson is hoping she can contribute to the momentum being developed in the female game.

‘‘I think this is an exciting time

to be involved in the women’s game. There is a lot of good stuff happening.

‘‘We are going to be advertising very soon for a women’s development officer in Otago for six months. I’m looking forward to working with them and help ing grow and encourage the female game.’’

For the elite female cricketers, such as the Suzie Bateses of this world, there is a good living to be made from the sport.

But there is still no proper senior women’s club cricket competition in Dunedin. There is a Friday night women’s league at Opoho involving two teams.

‘‘That is for anyone who is interested in cricket. We hoping to affiliate them with a club and really have a solid women’s league.’’