Central Districts finish strongly but Otago disappoint

It's been a heck of a one-day season for Central Districts and Otago and not even good conditions in Invercargill today could provide the spark for an end of competition extravaganza for them.

Central Districts left Queen's Park, one of the more attractive grounds around New Zealand, with a 99-run victory and some satisfaction at last in what has been a disappointing defence of their national one-day title.

The Stags won the toss and batted on a good wicket, reaching a total of 242/6 in their 50 overs. Hawera-born Peter Ingram scored his first century off 130 balls and was ably supported by Richard King 40 with whom he shared a 106-run partnership, and Ben Smith 28.

Ingram was last man out of the six CD batsmen dismissed, in the 47th over.

A key factor for CD was the fact all their batsmen got into double figures to reach their 242 total. The Otago bowling was adequate with Kerry Walmsley one for 37 and debutant Anthony Wilkinson none for 38 from his 10 overs, the best of the bowlers.

The Otago off-spinners Nathan Morland (none for 39 off eight) and Nathan McCullum (none for 44 off seven) were a little expensive in comparison.

On such a good batting wicket 242 seemed getable but alas the Otago batting which has been erratic all season had one of its bad days.

So often it has depended on Andrew Hore giving the side a good start but he was out for a duck in the first over having faced only four balls. Craig Cumming scored only two, Lee Germon a duck and Martyn Croy one.

Only Simon Beare, in his first Otago game, scored a fine 61. More will be heard of him. Morland with 28 assisted at No 8 but that was about it for Otago. Dismissed for 143, they lost by almost a hundred.

Bowling for the Stags, Ewen Thompson with four for 41 from eight overs was a signal performer but Michael Mason with four for 16 had an outstanding spell. Brent Hefford one for 21 and Andrew Schwass one for 17 were both very economical and bowled a lot tighter than their Volts counterparts, though the early loss of Volts wickets neccessitated caution from a batting aspect.

The Central Stags batted and bowled far better than their opposition and thoroughly deserved their victory over the Otago Volts.