Otago looks to climb out of Shield batting hole
THE plan is pretty simple.
At some stage during the next four days Otago needs to score at least 300 runs.
It plays Canterbury in a bottomofthetable fixture at the University of Otago Oval, and the Volts will be hoping to put their batting woes behind them.
The team has really struggled in the Plunket Shield this season, particularly in the first innings.
So far the Volts have limped to first innings scores of 108, 190 and 162 for three heavy losses.
The second digs have not been much better — 231, 218 and 265.
Any momentum the team had following the oneday campaign was snuffed out following an innings defeat to Central Districts in round three.
But there were some positives to emerge. Rookie opener Cam Hawkins batted for five hours during the second innings, and he has retained his place in the side.
Josh Finnie resisted his instincts to flog the ball and made a patient 72 from 167 balls.
‘‘But really our top order contributions have been fairly slim for the whole season, barring that hundred from Hamish [Rutherford] against ND,’’ Volts coach Rob Walter said.
‘‘We really haven’t batted well enough in the first innings to bring a game to parity and then turn it around in our favour, so we have work to do.’’
The Volts have a stronger side this week, with Rutherford returning from New Zealand A duty. He will be playing his 50th firstclass game for the province and has been in majestic form.
He has four hundreds in different formats for different teams and Walter has set him the challenge of scoring another two before Christmas.
He replaces the out of form Brad Wilson, who has scored just 25 runs in three games.
Allrounder Anaru Kitchen has reconsidered his decision not to play firstclass cricket this season, and will bolster the lower middle order.
He could bat as low as No 8 with Walter keen to keep developing the likes of Nathan Smith and Finnie.
There would not be too many No 8s with 10 firstclass hundreds and 4434 career runs.
‘‘We have to give these guys opportunities to see what they are capable of, otherwise we just keep treading water year after year,’’ Walter said.
‘‘Brad is moving towards finishing up and with Cam performing the way he did we did not want to then pull him out again.
‘‘And our overall view on the Plunket Shield is to use it as an opportunity for guys to gain experience and to get playing opportunities. That is New Zealand Cricket’s [priority] with long format cricket and we are in line with that.’’
Michael Rippon has been carrying an ankle niggle since late last month, and will miss the game.
Seamer Michael Rae (shoulder) is four weeks into a sixweek rest, and spinner Mark Craig is still out with a back complaint.
‘‘Mark is showing some steady improvement after plateauing for a while.
‘‘It is hard to say [how long he will be out] but things are definitely on the up.’’
Do you settle for a tie or celebrate it?
Otago and Northern Districts will be contemplating that very concept after they tied in the opening round of the under19 national tournament in Lincoln yesterday.
Otago scored 242, with Hunter Kindley top scoring with 73. Spinners Nathan Hastie (three for 41) and Ben Lockrose (two for 36) helped restrict Northern to 242 for nine to complete the rare result.
THE Otago under21 team is hoping to build on an improved showing and maybe create a little history.
The team has traditionally struggled at the national under21 tournament, but last summer it won a couple of games.
Coach Nathan King is optimistic his side can go to another level when the event gets under way in Auckland tomorrow.
‘‘I’m really hopeful we’ll produce a number of really strong performances,’’ he said.
King, who also coaches the Sparks, said a lot of his side has had a taste of cricket at a higher level, and that should stand this year’s tourna ment team in good stead.
‘‘Historically they have certainly struggled. They won a couple last year, but wins have been tough to come by in the past.’’
Nine of last year’s team are back for another shot, although star allrounder Kate Heffernan is only available for the first three days.
She is a contracted Steel player and is balancing both netball and cricket in what is a hectic schedule.
The 19yearold was Otago’s leading scorer and joint leading wickettaker. Her twin,
Georgia, missed the campaign last season through injury but is fit and should have an impact with both ball and bat.
St Hilda’s Collegiate star trio Olivia Gain, Eden Carson and Emma Black are fresh from steering their side to victory at the national girls secondary school title last week.
Carson topscored in the final with a rapid half century and was more than handy with the ball as well. She did not get many opportunities with the bat for the under21s last season, so it will be interesting to she how much she has progressed in the past 12 months.
Fellow St Hilda’s pupil Molly Loe is another worth watching. She took four for five to help dismiss Wairarapa College for just 29.
The year 10 swing bowler looks to have a lot of cricket ahead of her.
Otago opens its campaign with a onedayer against Wellington tomorrow.
Each side will play four onedayers and three twenty20 games.
Central Districts won the tournament last season.