If Auckland cricket faces were blushing when they lost their ShellTrophycricket match against Otago in three days on Friday, they were scarletwithembarrassment — tinged with anger — when Otago thrashed them in alow-scoringShell Cup one-dayer
Don Cameron17-Dec-2000If Auckland cricket faces were blushing when they lost their ShellTrophycricket match against Otago in three days on Friday, they were scarletwithembarrassment — tinged with anger — when Otago thrashed them in alow-scoringShell Cup one-dayer at Eden Park No 2 today.At one stage of the cup game Otago were 129 for nine wickets with 72ballsleft in their innings. A dogged tenth-wicket stand of 50 by Martyn Croy(63 not out)and Warren McSkimming (19) gave the Otago score a touch ofrespectability.McSkimming started the Otago bowling well with the first three wicketsatmodest cost, and then from 50 for three at drinks, the Auckland battingevaporated– out for 101, Otago easy winners with 75 runs and 67 balls to spare.So in the space of three days Auckland continued their pointless stayat thebottom of the trophy competition, and lost their place at the top of theShell ladder.While the pitch helped the seamers and the occasional odd bounce madeitbowler-friendly, Auckland could not blame the conditions — or anotherthree lbwdismissals — for their limp result today.Auckland dominated the first two thirds of the Otago innings, thebowlers ona keen and mean attacking line, the catching good. Apart from CraigCumming (31)the early Otago batting was erratic and even when Croy took root itseemed only amatter of time for Auckland to finish Otago about 130, and then have acomfortablestroll to victory against dispirited opponents.But as Croy and McSkimming dug in Auckland rather lost the plot. Ratherthan put the batsmen under pressure they set the field back, contentthat soonerrather than later there would be the mistake which finished off theOtago innings.The Aucklanders misjudged the determination and skill of Croyespecially,and McSkimming. Croy went at snail’s pace — 26 singles in successionfrom 27 oversat one stage — but was not bothered by his slowness or the tepidAuckland attack.Only over the last four or five overs did Croy go for his shots,McSkimmingcracked the ball hard, too, and they picked up 30 runs in four overs,when 20 hadcome in the previous seven-and-a-half.Still 176 was not close to the 200 -run target which Lee Germon, theOtagocaptain, reckoned was a bargaining point.McSkimming made it looked better when he dismissed Aaron Barnes andLou Vincent with successive balls, and then Blair Pocock at 33.After 17 overs Auckland were approaching cruise mode at 51 for three.Anhour later they were in ruins.Nathan McCullum, the 20-year-old cup newcomer, took a brilliant returncatch to dismiss Tim McIntosh, Dion Nash another dangerman went at 55andMcCullum shot out Tama Canning at 62.McCullum, bowling off-spin at about the pace that old people rememberfrom Vic Pollard, finished with the sensational figures of 10-6-9-2, andgave a verypassable imitation of Jonty Rhodes on speed with his zip and dash in thefield.As the ultimate embarrassment, Germon called on Matt Horne to deliverthethree-victim coupe de grace, leaving the small crowd and the clutch ofAucklandofficials speaking about re-arranging their Christmas wish-list toinclude a cricketvictory somewhere against someone, and the sooner the better.Denis Aberhart, the Canterbury-based Otago coach did his best todisguisehis delight at taking two wins at Eden Park.It was, he said, again a matter of the Otago players sticking to theirtask,even when things looked grim — and being able to grab their chanceswhen offered.