Otago frustrated by bad weather again

THE Otago team spent another day sitting around looking at the clouds.

No play was possible on day three of its Plunket Shield match with Northern Districts at the University of Otago Oval yesterday.

The Volts’ round two game against Auckland earlier this month never got under way at all, so frustration will be mounting in the camp.

But Otago did have a good day on Saturday, eventually.

Nathan Smith and Michael Rippon put on an Otago firstclass record seventhwicket stand of 190 to help resurrect the innings.

The Volts had slumped to 107 for six before the pair combined in the massive partnership to steer Otago to 297 for seven at stumps.

They eclipsed the previous seventhwicket mark of 182 by Bert Sutcliffe and Alan Gilbertson at Lancaster Park in December 1952.

Smith (114) brought up his maiden firstclass century during the stand and Rippon’s undefeated 74 is a careerhigh as well.

Otago leads by 54 runs with three first innings wickets in hand. But with an entire day lost and potentially more weather interruptions today, mark this game down for a draw.

Otago resumed on Saturday at 29 for two in reply to the visitor’s total of 243.

Dean Foxcroft (29) and Anaru Kitchen (44) held out for a bit longer.

Foxcroft was undone by spinner Joe Walker and then Black

Caps leftarmer Neil Wager added another two wickets to his haul.

He ran in hard and trapped Nick Kelly (10) lbw and drew an edge from Kitchen.

When Mitch Renwick holed out for six, Otago was in deep trouble at 107 for six in reply to Northern’s first innings total of 243.

But Smith and Rippon turned the day with their sterling partnership.

There was no play at the Basin Reserve yesterday. But there is still every chance of a result in that match.

Wellington is 104 for two in its second innings and needs a further 22 runs to make Auckland bat again.

In Nelson, Central Districts is continuing to fight back in its match with Canterbury, at