Otago's nightmare season drags on

Rain meant that only 45 overs were bowled on the first day of the State Championship match between Northern Districts and Otago at WestpacTrust Park, Hamilton.

That was time enough for bottom-of-the-table Otago to display more of the poor batting form that has characterised their season.

They finished the day on 107/9 on a pitch that offered no more than normal first-day help to the quicker bowlers. Poor shot selection was the chief factor. Three batsmen were dismissed by deliveries to which they offered no shot, while two of the top five were out attacking rashly before they were set.

The Otago innings got off to a disastrous start after they were put into bat by ND skipper Robbie Hart. Chris Gaffaney shouldered arms to Joseph Yovich in the first over, only to see his off stump cartwheel out of the ground as the ball came back into him. Gaffaney had not scored.

His opening partner Brendon McCullum fell for six attempting an expansive off drive from Graeme Aldridge's bowling. Scott Styris took a sharp catch at second slip.

Otago skipper Craig Cumming became the second batsman to be out offering no shot when he was struck on the pad by Yovich in the seventh over of the innings. Umpire Mike George ruled that the ball would have hit the stumps even though the front leg was well forward and the ball hit the pad above the knee. Cumming scored four.

Jordan Sheed fell to the last ball before an 80-minute rain interruption. He was hit on the back leg by Simon Andrews to be leg before wicket for six.

Scott Waide was out for 17 to the first ball he faced after the resumption, in a piece of cricket that amounted to ritual suicide. Without bothering to play himself back in, Waide attempted to hook a ball from Andrews that was on, or outside, off stump. The ball lobbed up to Aldridge at mid-on.

Otago were 38/5, the worst start of their dismal season.

Craig Pryor and Duncan Drew accumulated sensibly before Pryor got a snorter from Yovich that lifted and left him. Styris took his second catch of the day at second slip. Pryor scored 10 and put on 23 for the sixth wicket with Drew.

Wicket-keeper Drew made a chirpy 28 before playing across a full length delivery from Styris to be out leg before wicket. His partnership of 31 with Nathan Morland for the seventh wicket was the biggest of the innings.

Styris removed the off stumps of both Kerry Walmsley (0) and Morland (23) to finish with the day's best figures, three for eight from seven overs.

Aldridge was the pick of the ND attack, but the least rewarded. He finished with one for 20 from 12 overs.

Yovich took three for 53 from 15 overs. He needs to cut down the number of boundary deliveries he bowls if he is to push for international selection.

Andrews continued to make a good impression in the first-class game with two for 22 from 11 overs.

Veteran all-rounder Grant Bradburn was left out of the ND 12, for the first time in many years.

ND have made a recent habit of having illustrious drinks waiters. Ian Butler performed the task for the first part of the season before being called up to the CLEAR Black Caps squad. Simon Doull brought the experience of 32 Tests to the job before retiring. Today it fell to Bradburn, who has made a record 115 first-class appearances for ND.

With Mark Bailey, as well as Doull, fading out of the scene recently, Bradburn's omission is another sign that the ND guard is changing. The new line-up did well enough without him today, but it was against an Otago team that looked seriously short of class and confidence.