http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Otago-c829 in strong position against Auckland in Plunket Shield
Otago were in a dominant position against Auckland in their Plunket Shield match, being played at the University Oval in Dunedin, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Auckland-c766 needed 56 runs to avoid an innings defeat with just three wickets remaining.
Auckland captain Gareth Hopkins won the toss and elected to field first. However, his decision didn’t prove to be the right one, as Otago scored 327 runs in their first innings.
The start to the Otago innings wasn’t an ideal one, as they lost their captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shaun-Haig-c2504, who got out after adding just six runs to the total.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Neil-Broom-c2090 and Michael Bracewell took their team out of trouble with a solid partnership of 79 runs. However, Neil failed to capitalise on the start he got to his innings, and was dismissed after scoring 34 runs.
This brought http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Darren-Broom-c1318 to the crease, who paired with Bracewell for a 68-run stand for the fourth wicket. The Otago opener played a brilliant innings of 97 runs, but failed to score a century.
Half-centuries from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Neil-Wagner-c79182 and Broom helped the Otago team to take their score past 300. Wagner remained unbeaten on 63 runs whereas; Broom got out after scoring 75 runs.
Chris Martin was the pick of the bowlers, as he grabbed a five-wicket haul for his team. Veteran fast bowler Daryl Tuffey took two wickets to support his new ball partner.
Auckland would have expected the wicket to ease out when they came out to bat. However, none of their batsmen managed to score in double figures, as the whole team was out for a humiliating 46 runs.
Opening batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bradley-Cachopa-c48278 and Tuffey scored
seven and six runs respectively.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Butler-c48850 bowled equally well, and grabbed three wickets for just seven runs in his spell.
Auckland then had to bat again, as Cumming imposed the follow-on. However, the start to the second innings was much better by Raval and Cachopa. The pair constructed a 72-run opening stand for their team, but Cachopa gave his wicket away after scoring 32
runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Colin-de-Grandhomme-c1279 and Jimmy
Neesham got out cheaply, leaving their team six down for 151.
However, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anaru-Kitchen-c1032 held things together for his team and scored an unbeaten 61 runs until the close of play. He got some good support from Tuffey, who scored 29 runs before getting out.
McSkimming was yet again terrific for his team, as he took three wickets in Auckland’s second innings. He will be looking forward to taking the final three wickets early tomorrow to wrap the game up.
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