Otago’s week goes the wrong way

GET out of the penthouse and over to the outhouse.

That was the story for Otago this weekend after it lost heavily in a Plunket Shield match in Alexandra.

The side had contested the oneday domestic last weekend but it fell quickly from the top level, being thumped by Central Districts at Molyneux Park over the past four days.

Central Districts ended up winning the match by an innings and 84 runs.

The home side was always fighting to save the game when it conceded more than 500 as Central Districts piled on the runs in the first day and ahalf.

When a side scores so many runs in the opening innings of the match it holds all the cards and there is little the other team can do to get in a dominant position. All Otago could do was score quickly.

But a poor effort with the bat in the opening session on Saturday meant it was never in a position to come to the bargaining table.

Otago lost its last eight wickets for 72 runs in the first innings and finished 349 runs behind the Central Districts total of 511 for six declared.

Rightarm pace bowler Blair Tickner picked up four wickets for Central Districts and leftarmer Ryan McCone took three.

Central did not hesitate and put Otago back into bat.

Things did not improve for Otago in its second innings.

Brad Wilson went for a duck

with not a run on the board so the clouds were gloomy over Molyneux Park for Otago.

It managed to scramble through to 99 for three wickets at the end of Saturday’s play, knowing it would have to bat for the best part of yesterday to escape with a draw.

Why it would settle for a draw is a fair question. Bonus points apply only in the first innings, so getting through with a draw actually meant little to Otago’s points tally.

Otago’s task was all about denying the win for Central Districts as the men from up north looked to get the 12 points for the outright victory.

It dug in and could not be accused of not fighting. The side went well and truly on the defensive.

Debutant opening batsman Cam Hawkins notched a half century in more than four hours but he went for 61 as the side continued to slide.

Josh Finnie tempered his usual aggression and was patient in scoring 72 before he was bowled by Brad Schmullan.

The ending came quickly with young Central allrounder Dean Foxcroft picking up four wickets.

Otago’s next game is in Dunedin against Canterbury on Friday.

In other games, Northern Districts beat Wellington in Hamilton by 98 runs.

Joe Walker picked up a fivewicket bag for Northern as Wellington finished well short of the target of 241.

At Eden Park, Auckland beat Canterbury. Chasing 257 for victory, Auckland won by four wickets on the back of good knocks from Mark Chapman and Finn Allen.