Otago squanders chance of Shell series lead

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34044, 7 January 1976, Page 22

Otago squanders chance of Shell series lead

WANGANUI. < entral Districts yesterday dramatically denied ' Otago outright leadership in the Shell *erie* in a day of wonderful cricket at < nok * Garden*. Wanganui. Otago, set •«*’ runs for victory tn a minimum of 270 minutes, was <»n the verge of victory before a completely unexpected fourwicket bag in the last 80 minutes forced the southern team to close up shoo and hang on desperately for a| draw So brilliant was Otago's: early batting on the placid Cook’s Gardens pitch that no' betting man would have given odds on Centra! Districts’ ability to stop the Otago onslaught, let alone

come within two wickets of, victory. But happen it did. and at the end of an enthralling. ■ dav’.* play Otago was hanging on desperately for survival at 263 for eight wick.-ts —37 runs short of its target. No-one. could have wished! f ur a better cricketing contest as rhe teams stood nose-! to-nose through three days, of exciting batting and tight,' controlled bowling to notch m impressive tally of 1128 run* .Maitleu 100 The Otago hero was the 18-year-old opener. lan Ruth- ! erf ord. who turned in a most performance for his maiden century in first' '■lass cricket and all but guided Otago to victory. The scene was set at the beginning of t’->e third daw for a close finish. Centra! had a lead of 109 i

jtvith nine second innings wickets in hand after a fine late second-day performance lof running through to 89 for lone wicket. Earlier, Central [had scored 303 for nine wickets, declared, to which Otago replied with 283 for nine wickets declared. The new Central skipper, Dermot Payton. sent his overnight batsmen. Graeme Edwards and Ross Ormiston, into bat yesterday, obviously with orders to get on with the job.

Edwards. 60 not out overnight. relished the situation and quickly raced through to ■ 87. his highest score in first; class cricket, with three sixes and 15 fours, before falling to a brilliant slip catch by Glenn Turner. Mike Shrimpton, troubled by an unusually high-lifting ball on his first delivery, lost only three balls before going for two and Roger Pierce knocked up a quick 22 before falling to Don McKechniei with the Central total at 4 for 152 ** park ling play The Cook’s Gardens crowd was then treated to another champagne innings by the all-rounder. Lance Cairns, promoted to No. 6 in the batting order. Picking up where he left off with his unbeaten 75 in the first innings. Cairns cut loose on the Otago attack, cracking up his 50 in only 28 minutes off 32 balls and finally finishing with 65 in only 43 minutes off 52 balls to a brilliant stumping by Warren Lees off Don McKechnie’s howling. Les Downes put together a . neat 23, Ray Hutchison added to the total with an unbeaten 19 and Rod Thomas cracked an enormous six before Payton surprised all by declaring five minutes before lunch with the score at 279 for seven wickets.

This left Otago exactly 300 to score for victory in almost even time, taking into account the final 15 overs required in the final hour’s play. Turner and Rutherford appeared to put their team on the victory path with a slashing opening stand of 108. with the 100 coming up in just 83 minutes. Turner again looked in absolute control, timing his shots to perfection, before ■ David O’Sullivan tempted him into an injudicious square cu:. The 28-year-old professional was mortified to see the ball catch the inside edge and cannon into his stumps. Crashing shots O’Sullivan picked up the valuable wickets of Robert Anderson (11), Keith Campbell (8) and Henry Sampson (8) for the score to tumble to 4/177. ! Lees joined Rutherford, the .run rate picked up, and the 200 mark was passed in 193 I minutes. Rutherford hit a couple of ! crashing fours before being i caught at deep mid-on for 121. Just before he went, Brian McKechnie was trapped l.b.w. by Cairns, and with both the last two recognised batsmen ba<\ in the pavilion, Otago was suddenly in deep trouble.

Don McKechnie made a brief stab at forcing the pace but he, too, was caught in front by Cairns with Otago at eight for 258 — still 42 runs short of victon,’.

Graeme Thomson and Peter Petherick stayed at the crease to the end. but neither attempted to score. Bowling honours went to O’Sullivan who sent down 29 overs for four wickets and 92 runs, giving him a game aggregate of 10 wickets, which earned him the man of the match award.