Otago's 300 Club to be celebrated in limited edition

Bert Sutcliffe's achievement in scoring 385 runs for Otago against Canterbury in 1952/53 and setting a standard which is still the highest score by a New Zealander, will be honoured in a novel, or should that be a non-fiction, way by Otago Cricket.

As a 125th jubilee project, Otago Cricket are publishing a limited edition book on the unique feat of their association fielding the players who scored the first six triple centuries by New Zealanders.

The book, "The 300 Club" has been written by the senior editor of CricInfo New Zealand, Lynn McConnell, and will go on sale on April 16 at the annual Otago Cricket dinner in Dunedin.

"We will be producing 385 numbered copies. I expect the finished product to look very good and for the book to be a sought after collectors item - published by the Otago Cricket Association," the Association's chief executive Graeme Elliott said.

"The book features a topical account of each of the innings and a profile of the batsmen concerned, along with scoreboards of the matches.

"The books will have leather covers that will be dark blue and have gold lettering for the title and at the bottom of the cover.

"The book also opens with a detailed encounter of the first International match played in New Zealand in Dunedin in 1864 as part of the Carnival of Cricket that also included the first first-class match to be played in New Zealand," Elliott said.

Pre-April 16 orders can be made through Otago Cricket by e-mail to leigh@otagocricket.co.nz or by phone (03) 455 4056, fax (03) 455 4250 or mail to PO Box 1419, Dunedin.