Rain cuts ND 31 runs short of three-day win

Scott Styris continued to wreak havoc in the Otago middle-order as the home team attempted to build themselves into a position of at least setting a testing target for Northern Districts at Carisbrook today.

But despite the best efforts of Martyn Croy (37), Lee Germon (18) and Craig Pryor (15), Styris and Bruce Martin had the final say.

They helped dismiss Otago for 185 with Styris taking four for 11 from 10 overs and Martin three for 39 from 19.

It was an encouraging display from Styris who has been playing club cricket in Sydney in the lead-up to the season and who needs every good performance he can get to challenge for a place in the New Zealand team to return to Australia for the VB Series in January.

Northern Districts were left a target of 98 to win, and it seems only the weather can deny it maximum points from the game.

Northern Districts opened their second innings with James Marshall and Matthew Hart and with 25 minutes to tea survival was obviously the keynote.

Four leg byes from David Sewell came their way in the first over and with both batsmen very watchful they worked their way to 17/0 by tea after seven overs. Marshall was seven not out and Hart was on five.

During the tea break a heavy shower began which continued on past the resumption at 4.50 pm and, in fact, it was not until 5.44pm that play began again.

Northern Districts immediately took 19 runs from the first three overs bowled after the break, cashing in on loose deliveries from Sewell and Evan Marshall.

Marshall and Hart brought up the 50 off 74 balls and were looking very much in control of the Otago bowlers who were experiencing some difficulty with the damp outfield and its affect on the ball. Craig Pryor was especially expensive conceding 15 runs off only two overs.

Any hope ND had of finishing off the chase today were washed away, literally, when heavy rain forced the players from the field at 6.24pm with the score on 67/0, 31 runs short of the target.

Hart was unbeaten on 32 and Marshall on 25.