Stags squander prime position

BY TONY BIRD

The Stags looked decidedly doe-faced as they trudged off New Plymouth's Pukekura Park yesterday.

Having started the day in prime position to qualify second for the national one-day cricket playoffs, they eventually slumped to fourth – missing out on the competition's "second life" reward for making the top two, or a home playoff had they finished third.

Their two-wicket loss to Otago, Northern Districts' three-wicket win over Auckland, and Canterbury's surprise five-wicket win against Wellington consigned Central to a do-or-die clash with third-placed Canterbury in Christchurch on Saturday.

Top qualifier Auckland will host second-placed Northern in the major semifinal, with the winner heading straight into the final. The loser will play either Central or Canterbury.

With the results, Taranaki cricket fans have been done out of more top-level cricket. Pukekura Park – Central's choice of venue had it earned a home playoff – won't see any more one-day action this summer.

But the credit must go to Otago, which despite being out of the playoffs race, battled hard and got up to win in a nail-biting finish.

Chasing 254 to win, Otago No 10 batsman Anthony Bullick hit the winning runs with just two balls remaining.

Stand-in Central Districts coach Lance Hamilton, like the players, was in a sombre mood afterwards.

"It is pretty disappointing, I'm pretty gutted right now," said the former Central and New Zealand opening bowler, who is filling in for injured head coach Dermot Reeve.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Central started slowly, mainly due to the tight bowling of Otago paceman Warren McSkimming.

Bowling a good line from the southern end, McSkimming made the batsmen work and had only five runs taken off his opening four-over spell.

Central's Jamie How and George Worker put on 36 runs in the first 10 overs with How first to be removed when on 19, bringing Bevin Griggs to the crease.

Griggs was promoted up the order to allow allrounder Brendon Diamanti to make his comeback to first-class cricket after an injury layoff.

Griggs made the move pay, scoring a well-hit half-century off 57 balls, his highest score this season. It included four fours and three sixes.

The partnership of 77 runs between Griggs and No 4 batsman Mathew Sinclair (42) gave the Stags' innings momentum. But both were dismissed within an over, leaving the Stags teetering at 139-4 after 30 overs.

The arrival of Diamanti revived the innings, his 56 runs from 48 balls leading Central to a respectable 253-9. He shared in a valuable 50-run partnership with Ewen Thompson (24) for the eighth wicket.

Otago started its run chase of just over five an over in positive style. After the top three had been dismissed after making double figures, Darren Broom struck 73 to move the match the visitor's way. When the right hander was dismissed, brilliantly caught at cover by How off the bowling of Worker, Otago was 176-6.

McSkimming was removed three balls later for five and, it appeared, the pendulum had swung back towards the Stags.

Central's hopes were lifted further at 200-8 when Neil Wagner was stupidly run out trying to take a quick single after a Central misfield.

But Bullick stepped up with 33 off 20 balls, combining with Greg Todd, who hit an unbeaten 39, in a match-winning partnership.

Otago coach Mike Hesson was pleased with how his team played even though the win wasn't enough for the side to finish any higher than fifth on the six-team table.

"I guess it showed what we're capable of," he said.

"We moved Darren Broom up the order from seven to four and obviously he played very well.

"He's been batting down the order so he hasn't had many opportunities to score. He's more done the finishing role, which we gave to Greg Todd today and he was not out at the end, so he did his job well as well."

Hamilton was optimistic his side could still reach the final.

"It would have been nice to have gone up to Auckland and then have the opportunity to have a week off before the final because the guys have had a pretty hectic schedule. But we're still in the semis and now we'll just go down to Christchurch and carry on."

Central Districts can take some confidence into their match on past results this summer.

The Stags have beaten Canterbury in two one-dayers and two Twenty20 matches.

"Hopefully we can take that confidence into the game and take it to them," Hamilton said.

- © Fairfax NZ News