Otago turnaround completed as they move to top of the table

Otago beat an insipid Northern Districts by 79 runs in round four of the State Shield at Smallbone Park in Rotorua today to go top of the table.

They collected a deserved bonus point for a performance that was superior to their opponents in every aspect of the game.

Shayne O'Connor took four for 18 for Otago. With a few more matches O'Connor will be more than ready to step up in the event of injury to one of the pace bowlers in the chosen New Zealand World Cup 15.

Otago's other star was Marcel McKenzie, who has returned to his home province this season after being a bit player for Canterbury over the past few years. Today he had the Midas touch, with a career-best score, a catch and a run out.

Otago opted to bat first on a pitch that was predicted to be on the slow side. Openers Andrew Hore and Mohammad Wasim set off at their usual breathless pace. After six overs they had put on 35, helped by 10 wides and a no-ball. For the second consecutive home game the profligacy of ND opening attack of Gareth West and Joseph Yovich had given their opponents momentum.

After a 20-minute rain break scoring became more difficult, with eight runs coming from six overs. Graeme Aldridge was chiefly responsible, demonstrating the old-fashioned virtues of line and length and letting the two-paced pitch do the rest. He conceded only 11 runs in a five-over spell.

Otago batted carefully, preserving wickets for the final phase of the innings. This began when McKenzie and Peter McGlashan - another recent import - came together in the 32nd over.

They put on 130 for the fifth wicket, an Otago record (previously 116 by Robbie Lawson and Stephen Mather against Auckland in 1999/00) and a record by any team against ND (previously Roger Twose and Robbie Kerr's 127 for Wellington in 1997).

McKenzie dominated the first part of the partnership. McGlashan was on six when the 50 partnership came up. Thereafter, the wicket-keeper abandoned the anchor role and outpaced his partner.

In the last 10 overs they attacked everything and challenged some sluggish ND fielding with swift and daring running. They scored at 10 an over in the final five overs of the innings, as Otago reached a total of 251.

McGlashan, in particular, was willing to try the unorthodox. Twice he lifted balls from well outside off stump over short fine leg to the boundary.

They were parted only in the final over of the innings, by which time McKenzie had hit 90 from 85 balls, with seven fours and a six. McGlashan made 46 not out from 51 balls, including five fours.

Aldridge apart, spinners Bruce Martin and Matthew Hart were the pick of the ND attack, with one for 37 and none for 26 (from seven overs) respectively. West was the most expensive with 55 from six overs.

ND showed aggressive intent in the early stages, but seemed to lose heart after the loss of David Kelly (for nought on his ND one-day debut) and Michael Parlane. O'Connor's excellent opening spell effectively ended the match. The asking rate drifted ever-upwards but nobody seemed willing to take the attack to the bowlers, all of whom were allowed to settle into a comfortable rhythm.

An entertaining last-wicket partnership of 41 between Aldridge and West contained four fours, as many as the rest of the batsmen managed put together.

Nathan Morland took a career-best four for 35, including three boundary catches by Hore in the same over as ND belatedly, and desperately, struck out.

Jeff Wilson conceded only five runs in eight overs and appears to be enjoying his return to cricket immensely.

At the end of the game McKenzie modestly described it "one of those days when everything went my way."

He put the success of his partnership with McGlashan down to good running between the wickets, but acknowledged that batting was not as easy as they made it look.

"There was variable bounce and a bit of turn out there. At the end there was a bit of hit and miss, though most things seemed to go off the middle of the bat," he said.

McKenzie scored a direct hit to run out James Marshall as the ND innings went from bad to worse. "I don't usually hit, but I was pleased that one did," he said.

McKenzie said that the Otago team was not surprised by its progress this season. "We have a well-balanced side and we are happy with the way things are going," he said. "Long may it last."

Otago play Auckland at Eden Park on Tuesday, while ND face Wellington in a day/night game at Westpac Park in Hamilton.