Otago clinch low-scoring contest

Otago clinched a low-scoring contest against Auckland in Oamaru by two wickets with ten balls to spare. Aaron Redmond, the Otago captain, chose to field and his bowlers backed up his decision by reducing Auckland to 99 for 6. The lower-middle order offered resistance with Roneel Hira top scoring with 44, but Auckland were eventually dismissed for 199 in the 43rd over. Darren Stevens and Nick Beard took three wickets apiece for Otago.

Redmond anchored the chase at the top of the order, with a steady 66 that took 106 balls, but wickets fell at the other end as Colin de Grandhomme worked his way through the middle order. His three wickets reduced Otago to 150 for 5 and the chase clipped further when Redmond fell. Redmond was caught by Kyle Mills off Colin Munro, leaving Otago on 171 for 6, and they lost their next two wickets for the addition of only one run. Derek de Boorder, however, shepherded the tail and secured victory in the penultimate over with an unbeaten 29.

The two other games scheduled for Sunday - Northern Districts v Canterbury in Whangarei and Wellington v Central Districts at Basin Reserve - were washed out without a ball being bowled.