Cricket: Golden hour with ball decisive

Otago all-rounder Jimmy Neesham bowls a slower ball during his side’s match against Northern...
Otago all-rounder Jimmy Neesham bowls a slower ball during his side’s match against Northern Districts at the University Oval yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

Four days of cricket was decided during a stunning 60 minutes from the Otago bowling unit.

And, if they could bottle that golden hour, they surely would.

The Volts began the final day of their Plunket Shield match with a chance of picking up the seven wickets they needed to defeat Northern Districts.

But if Otago is honest, the visiting team dominated most of the opening three days at the University Oval and a well-earned victory awaited if it could just get through the first hour without losing too many more wickets.

It could not. Jack Hunter helped see to that.

The 20-year-old was a handful in the humid conditions and got the ball to shape away from the right-handers.

Northern had resumed on 38 for three needing a further 163 runs for victory.

It was not a big ask but the visiting side quickly lost nightwatchman Ish Sodhi when he tried to loft Hunter down the ground only to skew a catch to Nathan McCullum at mid-off.

Sodhi's wicket was expected perhaps but Hunter kept the pressure on, bowling an impeccable length.

He also showed he could bowl to a plan.

The Volts set a leg-side trap to the left-handed Anton Devcich and Hunter honed in on the leg stump.

The ball which got Devcich drifted wider than Hunter would have hoped, but the batsman steered it straight to Michael Bracewell at leg gully.

Two balls later, he nicked out a crease-bound Daryl Mitchell.

Northern had slumped to 55 for six.

Hunter took three for 18 in the five-over spell.

It really was a terrific effort.

"He has shown glimpses in his first few games for us,'' Otago coach Nathan King said.

"For him, it was about putting in a complete performance and he was able to do that in this game. Every spell was quality.

"We asked him to come in and bowl a bit quicker ... but he does swing it and he hits a good length. We saw on that wicket he got a little bit of extra bounce at times. He's a handy bowler.''

Jimmy Neesham and Jacob Duffy picked up a wicket apiece in that opening hour as well as ND lost five wickets for the addition of just 28 runs.

The sun burst threw the clouds after the drinks break and the final two wickets proved harder to claim.

Scott Kuggeleijn (22) and James Baker (41 not out) put on 53 for the ninth wicket.

Neesham grabbed two fantastic catches to help wrap up Northern's innings for 13 and Otago won by 61 runs.

It was quite a session and quite an escape.

"Those sorts of mornings don't happen every day, so it was a pretty special win,'' King said.

Brad Wilson's contribution with the bat in both innings proved crucial.

He top-scored in the first inings with 97 and made 64 in the second.

Michael Bracewell's second-innings knock of 96 help give the Volts a 200-run lead to defend, and Duffy removed both Northern openers towards the end of day three to set up an interesting final day.

In other matches, Auckland beat Wellington by an innings and 119 runs at Colin Maiden Park and moved to the top of the standings with 79 points, while in Nelson the last Central Districts pair hung around to secure a draw against Canterbury.

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