da imperador bet： Rain may have threatened to limit the Otago-Northern Districts to a first innings contest but that didn’t prevent an exciting end to the third day’s play today at Carisbrook
Warwick Larkins10-Jan-2001Rain may have threatened to limit the Otago-Northern Districts to a first innings contest but that didn’t prevent an exciting end to the third day’s play today at Carisbrook.Northern Districts did not add to their overnight total of 232/9 and it wasthis target that Otago set out to attempt to pass and gain the two pointsavailable for a first innings lead.Otago started at a quick clip with Andrew Hore forcing the pace initiallywhile Mark Richardson was content to gather runs but wisely keep his wicketintact. Hore played some smart cover drives and was eventually out when Otago was 84 aftergiving two hard hit chances in his 54 scored from 73 balls.Richardson was joined by Craig Cumming and together they proved a real thornin Northern Districts side as they both added to their respective scoreswith a few “dried up” periods. Richardson, after two disappointments for himin the game against Canterbury, obviously wanted a score and concentratedhard but was just not timing or placing the ball as well as he can and many great shots went straight to fieldsmen.Finally when he was 76 he skied one to substitute fieldsman GraemeAldridge from the bowling of Grant Bradburn and was out.Cumming, now on 67, was joined by Chris Gaffaney, the former Cromwellian,who has established a reputation for himself as one who likes to really geton with it. He tried just that but only managed eight before being dismissed, caught Parlane bowled Bradburn.Otago was obviously determined to get the first innings lead but reached aslow and frustrating period when runs were hard to come by but finallyCumming hit Bradburn for two fours and took Otago past the NorthernDistricts total and his own score to 87. Otago finished the day on 236/3.