Openers pave way

Otago have surged to the top of the provincial Twenty20 cricket competition, notching up a dramatic five-wicket win over Auckland at Eden Park last night. Openers Neil Broom and Hamish Rutherford laid the base for Otago, combining to create a 104-run first wicket partnership to kick-start their side’s chase of Auckland’s impressive first innings total of 190 for 7. Three superb run-outs and some topnotch bowling from Auckland ensured the game would go into its final over, where Derek de Boorder blasted the winning run with two balls left.