Walter adamant Otago must learn after disappointing innings loss to Auckland

TIME will tell how big yesterday’s loss really was.

But in layman’s terms Otago was hammered.

And it was towering Black Caps seamer Kyle Jamieson and Auckland allrounder Sean Solia who were swinging the big hammers.

The Volts collapsed from 13 for one overnight to be all out for a paltry 54.

They were bowled out before lunch on day three, handing

Auckland a win by an innings and 129 runs.

Jamieson backed up from his firstinnings haul of five for 39 with three for six, while Solia snaffled his maiden fivewicket bag.

The leftarmer finished with the astonishing figures of five for eight from 5.4 overs.

Otago’s tiny total joins the list of its lowest scores but is outside the top 10.

The team was bowled out for just 34 by Wellington at Carisbrook in 1957 and there have been two other scores in the 30s.

But that will offer no consolation to the current side.

The Volts strung together a couple of nice wins at the end of

last season and started the campaign in high spirits.

But the reality of their performance will put a chink in the confidence.

Volts coach Rob Walter was philosophical about the heavy loss, though.

‘‘It is always tough to try and put it into context given the work we’ve done prior to that,’’ he said.

‘‘I think the main thing I said to the group was you only lose if you don’t learn after a loss.

‘‘We are not going to let one innings derail the work that we’ve done.

‘‘Obviously there are some big lessons for us and that is the key, to make sure we learn them.’’

The Volts can take some positives out of the game. Michael Rippon’s brilliant maiden century on day one helped his side fight back after it had slumped to 33 for six.

And the bowling effort was of a high standard. Jacob Duffy (three for 60) and Nathan Smith (two for 19) were outstanding.

Ben Horne got away on the

Volts, though. He scored a big hundred to put his side in a commanding position.

Otago did not respond well with the bat in its second innings. It is not the first side to capitulate when chasing the game but it was a very disappointing effort.

However, Walter dismissed suggestions he might need to make changes for its next assignment, which is against Northern Districts at Bay Oval beginning on Wednesday.

‘‘At the end of the day who would we actually change out of that top order? That would be a kneejerk reaction.

‘‘If we started dropping guys based on two innings during the season then how much confidence would that give a player, so we certainly won’t be going down that road.’’

In the other games, Canterbury completed an eightwicket win against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

Wellington’s fate was sealed when it was dismissed for 65 in its first innings.

In the rainaffected match at Seddon Park, Central Districts declared its first innings for nought and Northern Districts followed suit, declaring its second innings for zero.

That left the visitors needing 254 for victory and, a late hiccup aside, they did it in a canter. Stags openers Greg Hay (93) and George Worker (96) put on 177 for the opening wicket to help clinch a sevenwicket win.