Otago poor in firstclass game

Otago made a welcome appearance in the oneday final but finished fourth in the Super Smash. And the Plunket Shield was almost all bad. Cricket writer Adrian Seconi reviews a mixed season.

NEW ZEALAND Cricket might have downgraded the firstclass game to a development tournament but it remains the best measure of a player’s ability.

And Otago was found wanting by that measure.

The Volts avoided a winless Plunket Shield season with victory against Wellington in round seven, but the previous six straight losses were painful.

The batting was pitiful and bowling sometimes only marginally better. Matt Bacon helped saved Otago’s blushes with a 10wicket haul in the threewicket win against Wellington.

The strike bowler grabbed 16 wickets in the last two matches. The late flurry meant the rightarm medium pacer became one of the leading wickettakers nationally. He finished third with 31 wickets at an average of 24.61. He will have to work on his economy rate of 3.80, though. It was way too high.

Experienced opening batsman Hamish Rutherford was Otago’s leading scorer in all three formats.

He stroked an excellent century in round one against a Northern Districts bowling unit which included Black Caps Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Colin de Grandhomme and Ish Sodhi.

The lefthander’s season firstclass total of 535 runs at an average of 41.15 was more than respectable.

His burgeoning partnership with Cam Hawkins at the top of the order netted two 100run stands.

Beneath them the collective of Shawn Hicks, Josh TasmanJones and Josh Finnie offered precious few runs. They got shuffled around towards the end of the season as the Volts looked for a way to squeeze what they could from a very inexperienced order.

Brad Wilson’s absence during that period was a bit of a mystery. He helped settle the middle order when included late.

Injuries to former international spinner Mark Craig and fast bowler Michael Rae stripped the Volts of some potency at the crease.

Cocaptain Jacob Duffy was charged with picking up the slack. He was wonderful with a white ball but less than marvelous with the red cherry. His haul of 17 at 46.82 was disappointing.

Legspinner Michael Rippon followed a similar pattern to Duffy. They were both crucial in steering Otago through to the oneday final, though.

It has to be said the Ford Trophy was the weakest of the three formats. Many of the country’s leading players were either on national duty or playing for New Zealand A while the Volts had a full roster until Hamish Rutherford was called up for New Zealand A late in the tournament.

They could have used him in the final against Wellington. The Volts slumped to 57 for seven but scrambled to reached 234 for eight. Rippon (82) and Christi Viljoen (87 not out) gave their side a fighting chance.

Rippon snared two crucial wickets as well but the visiting side escaped with a tense threewicket win.

The Volts took momentum into the twenty20 competition but that

was snuffed out on a sticky wicket in Alexandra and a couple of rainedout games. They finished fourth after coming last the previous two seasons.

With Wilson retiring and Warren Barnes taking an indefinite break from the game, Otago will be looking for two replacements players.

Hawkins will almost certainly pick up one of the contracts, while spinner Ben Lockrose and keeper Max Chu would be worth a punt as well.

However, Otago ought to go further. Its roster needs a shakeup. There are too many good players sitting idle around the country for the Volts not to get busy during the recruitment window.