Northern Districts cruise to nine-wicket win at Carisbrook

Northern Districts started the fourth and final day of the State Championship match between Otago at Carisbrook needing just 31 runs for victory.

Although play started half an hour later due to overnight and morning rain, it was always certain that they were going to win barring the weather intervening.

The victory was achieved at 11.45am to the tune of nine wickets.

Matthew Hart was 41 not out and Mark Bailey 20 not out - James Marshall had previously been dismissed lbw to Craig Pryor for 30.

The game itself had seen Northern Districts dominant throughout.

No Otago batsman had gone on to get a big score and the telling factor in the game was Northern District's tail in the first innings when Robbie Hart scored 102 not out, Bruce Martin 45 and Graeme Aldridge 22 to give their side an 88-run first innings lead.

That proved the difference, especially after Otago collapsed in their second innings with no-one making fifty although Brendon McCullum, with a match tally of 91, was most valuable. This left the visitors to get only 98 for victory - which they achieved for the loss of only one wicket to take the six championship points on offer.

Otago, in spite of having four seam bowlers injured, still managed to be relatively successful in securing scalps with Evan Marshall (after a five season lay off) and David Sewell each securing a five-wicket bag.

For Northern Districts Joseph Yovich, Scott Styris and Martin bowled well with Martin's match figures of 6-63 having him looking set for a productive season.