Cricket: Otago finishes season with win

Otago Volts batsman Jesse Ryder sweeps a delivery during his team's Ford Trophy match against...
Otago Volts batsman Jesse Ryder sweeps a delivery during his team's Ford Trophy match against Central Districts at the University Oval in Dunedin yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Otago avoided the wooden spoon with a comprehensive 106-win in a one-dayer against Central Districts at the University Oval yesterday.

It was Otago's last game of the season and the bowling attack answered some of its critics with an impressive display to dismiss Central Districts for a miserly 127.

Former Black Cap Ian Butler has been sidelined most of the season with a chronic back injury, but in three one-day games he has taken eight wickets - four of them yesterday.

Jesse Ryder was the other major contributor. His fine knock of 96 from 69 balls ensured Otago reached a competitive total in the conditions of 233.

Interim Otago coach Nathan King was pleased his side finished the campaign positively.

''We spoke about making sure we played well today and that was all about winning the game,'' he said.

''We've done that and, although it is disappointing to finish were we have in the one-day competition [5th], we know we have played some decent cricket but have not been good enough at crucial moments to make the semifinals.''

King, who took over from Vaughn Johnson when he resigned earlier in the month, said he has enjoyed his stint as coach.

''It has certainly been a tough old three or four weeks but it has been an experience that I've really enjoyed. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have aspirations to be a first-class coach.

''An opportunity will present itself next season - and I'll seriously consider putting my hat in for that job.''

Earlier, Central seized the initiative with Seth Rance and Roald Badenhorst striking early.

Rance produced a superb ball to account for Hamish Rutherford. The opener perhaps pushed out too far from his body but the ball had to be played and nipped away late.

Jamie How made a sharp catch to his right at second slip.

Fellow opener Aaron Redmond was the architect of his own demise, launching into a drive and picking out Ben Smith at a cover point position.

Michael Bracewell (39) and Derek de Boorder (27) added 73 for the third wicket but the meat of the innings was provided by Ryder.

The former Black Cap played a typical knock. He lazily knocked balls to or over the ropes and looked as if he was not trying at all.

He took a special liking to left-arm spinner Martin Kain, clouting him for 48 runs and really giving Otago some momentum for the first time.

He slashed through point, drove through the covers and hit well down the ground. When he had a heave he tended to look to the leg side with five of his six sixes whacked in that direction.

But on the cusp of becoming the first player to score three one-day hundreds in a season for Otago, Ryder carved a delivery straight to Dane Cleaver.

Mark Craig (22) and Butler (18) added some valuable runs to help the Volts get through to a useful total.

Tarun Nethula took four for 35 and picked up the key wicket of Ryan ten Doeschate. Rance was equally impressive with two for 18 from 10 overs.

Central's reply got off to a terrible start with the home side slumping to 10 for three.

How mistimed a pull shot and Ben Smith nicked out. Bradley Scott claimed both wickets and fellow left-arm seamer Neil Wagner struck down the other end when Carl Cachopa chopped on.

Kruger van Wyk (34) is a battler and not prone to throwing his wicket away. The same could not be said for many of his team-mates.

A series of forgettable shots accounted for David Meiring, Cleaver and Kieran Noema-Barnett.

Central looked like a side low on batting confidence and in even shorter supply of resilience.

It has been a tough season for the Stags. They were last in the twenty20 tournament and second-last in the Plunket Shield.

Based on their effort yesterday, they deserved to finish last in the one-day competition.

The side just seemed too comfortable losing and a little too eager to get to the end of the season.

That said, Otago bowled well. Butler showed what the side has been missing with four for 28 from 7.3 overs, and Scott took two for 11 from five overs.

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