Cricket: Form suggests Volts win not far away

Stand-in coach Nathan King. Photo by ODT.
Stand-in coach Nathan King. Photo by ODT.

What has made Otago so formidable at limited-overs cricket in the past couple of seasons has been its ability to perform under pressure.

The Volts have tended to win the close games. Whether it has been Jacob Duffy running in and spearing in yorkers in the final over or Ryan ten Doeschate sending the ball over the ropes, Otago has found a way to win when losing was just as likely.

It has not been as successful in one-day cricket but the potential is there.

The Volts won 15 consecutive twenty20 games last summer and had built an aura of invincibility.

But that aura has dimmed in the past week.

Otago has been on the other side of some heartbreaking losses. Wellington just held on to beat Otago by two runs in a dramatic finish to Sunday's one-day at the Basin Reserve.

All-rounder Sam Wells launched a desperate assault, smacking four sixes in the final two overs but holed out from the game's last delivery.

And last week BJ Watling guided Northern Districts to a four-wicket win with an unbeaten innings of 83.

That game went down to the last over with Northern stretched in chasing 278 for victory.

Stand-in coach Nathan King sees it as more of a blip than a trend.

''I'm not sure you can say too much has changed,'' he said.

''I do believe winning is a habit and when you are consistently winning games of cricket, those close ones do go your way.

''I wouldn't say we don't have that winning habit because we have just finished second in the two major competitions.

''It is just one of those things where, to be honest, we haven't been the better team on the day.''

Injuries have played a part in Otago's fading fortunes and so too has the ICC World Twenty20.

Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum and Jimmy Neesham are with the Black Caps and Neil Broom, Duffy, Ian Butler and James McMillan are ruled out because of injury.

Coach Vaughn Johnson is on indefinite sick leave.

Opener Aaron Redmond has been named in the side for the match against Canterbury in Dunedin today.

However, he twisted his knee against Wellington and it was stiff when he woke yesterday morning.

Ryan Duffy has been added as batting cover and middle-order batsman Iain Robertson also joins the 14-strong squad.

The Volts are in last place with four points from three games but will play their next three matches on home turf.

''We are at a stage now where we can't afford to lose too many more. If we lose the next one or two, then we are in a situation where we have to win the last three in a row and we don't want to be in that position.

''I think we've been playing well enough over the last couple of games to suggest that we are not far away from getting that next win.''

Jesse Ryder missed out against Wellington but the left-hander has been in brilliant form with two hundreds in the tournament.

Likewise, Michael Bracewell has continued his impressive summer but Otago has struggled with the ball.

Canterbury has stuck with the same 12 which defeated Central Districts by 10 wickets.

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