Central always on back foot to Otago

Press, 28 December 1985, Page 44

Central always on back foot to Otago

PA New Plymouth Central Districts, defending a small total of 120, were always on the back foot against Otago in a Shell Cup, one-day cricket match at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, yesterday. Otago, although it suffered a few hiccups after a good start by the openers, Stu McCullum and Ken Rutherford, who put on 55, eventually won the match by four wickets. Otago’s final score was 123 for six. Otago, astutely led by a former New Zealand wicketkeeper, Warren Lees, dictated the tune for most of the match — and Central danced to it. Central, put into bat by Lees, began the match steadily with the openers, Scott Briasco and Ronnie Hart, having only a few problems on a wicket that failed to produce the bit of life expected. ' Briasco had two lives before giving a return catch to Brian McKechnie, making a comeback after a two-year absence. Martin Crowe strode in, pushed a ball out into the covers and ran with the

shot. Half-way down the pitch he realised he was on a suicidal course. The ball had gone to McKechnie, not to the umpire as Crowe had thought, and the throw was straight and true. That was the beginning of the end for CD. The wickets kept falling after that. Tony Blain was out for five, Hart bowled by Boock for 26, Stephen Gill who had been promoted in the order went for seven and lan Smith was neatly caught behind by Lees off Boock for two. The total was then 71 for six.

After Gary Robertson went without scoring, Richard Hayward and Derek Stirling attempted to give the score some respectability with some solid hitting and added 29 runs before Hayward was out for 13. With only 121 runs needed, Otago look set to cruise home; the openers Ken Rutherford and Stu McCullum put on 55 for the first wicket.

However, Peter Visser had other ideas and at one stage had the figures of four wickets for only seven runs and Otago was 92 for five.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS R. Hart b Boock 26 S. Briasco c and b McKechnie 26 M. Crowe run out .... . 0 T. Blain c Bums b McKechnie 5 S. Gill lbw Boock 7 I. Smith c Lees b Boock. 2 R. Hayward c Boock b Hill 13 G. Robertson lbw McKechnie 0 D. Stirling c Mallender b Hill 23 W. Martin c and b Cushen. 10 P Visser not out 2 Extra 5........... 6 Total 120 Fall- 40, 45, 60, 66, 70, 71, 71, 100, 109. Bowling.— N. Mallender 10,2,22,0; J. Cushen 7.4,3,18,1; S. Boock 10,5,21,3; B. McKechnie 10,1,25,3; R. Hill 7,0,32,2. OTAGO K. Rutherford c Martin b Visser 36 S. McCullum lbw Visser . 19 R. Hoskin lbw Visser ... 7 K. Burns c Briasco b Gill 9 D. Walker not out 16 B. McKechnie b Visser . . 2 W. Lees c Blain b Visser 11 R. Hill not out 7 Extras 16 Total (for 6 wkts) 123 Fall: 55, 66, 67, 85, 92, 104.

Bowling.— D. Stirling 10,1,25,0; S. Gill 9.2,4,19,1; G. Robertson 7,1,24,0; W. Martin 10,1,30,0; P. Visser 10,4,20,5.