109-run victory for Auckland

Press, 10 January 1981, Page 48

109-run victory for Auckland

PA Auckland Auckland duly won its Shell Trophy cricket match against Otago by 109 runs at Eden Park yesterday, but it was touch and go until the Aucklanders Martin Crowe and John Ackland hit form. John Wiltshire, the Auckland captain, set the scene nicely when he closed the Auckland innings at 185 for four wickets, whidh gave Otago the reasonable prospect of scoring 295 at a shade under three runs an over.

The pity was that in doing so Wiltshire had to close his own innings at 72 not out. He was hitting the ball with all the power and freedom which made him such an exciting batsman two years ago, and perhaps another three or four ovens might have brought him a century. Auckland struck the first blow when lan Rutherford, who makes a habit of centuries on Eden Park, was out at 15. Once again came the

Otago fightback, with Richard Hoskin (50) and Wayne Blair (-14) striking the ball freely until at 114, Hoskin was leg before. The brothers Blair went efficiently into the business of scoring runs, and then Crowe struck with a remarkable hat-trick of catches. Wayne Blair swept at land and at backward square Crowe dived across for a fine catch. Bruce Blair swept at John Mclntyre, and this time Crowe had a more comfortable catch at backward square. Then Derek Walker hit an enormously tall stroke to midwicket, apparently miles clear of danger. From square leg Crowe dashed some 30 metres and reached out at the critical moment to take the catch in two hands.

At 143 for six Otago had no prospect of victory and Ackland, in his first firstclass game for Auckland, swept through the rest of the innings.