If in doubt, just put your head down and bat.
That was the approach from Max Chu and Luke Georgeson as they batted the Volts back into the game in Rangiora and put themselves into the record books yesterday.
Chu scored 130, his second first-class century, and Georgeson his maiden ton, an unbeaten 134, as they combined for a stunning partnership of 265, equalling a 94-year-old record, to entirely resuscitate Otago’s chances in the Plunket Shield game in Rangiora.
From near-certain defeat, the Volts have now given themselves a remarkable chance to win as they are 411 for eight in their second innings, leading by 197 runs with two wickets in hand heading into the final day.
While it is a team sport, yesterday was all about two players who started day three with their team in dire straits at 169 for six, still 45 runs shy of making Canterbury bat again.
The left-handed pair equalled the record seventh-wicket partnership in New Zealand first-class cricket set by Canterbury pair John Powell and Neil Dorreen against Otago in Christchurch in 1929-30.
Their partnership also smashed the Otago seventh-wicket record of 190 set by Nathan Smith and Michael Rippon five summers ago.
Chu, who smacked 15 boundaries in his highest first-class score and faced a mammoth 312 balls, deserved his ice bath at the end of the long day.
"It’s always awesome to do what’s needed for the team," he told the Otago Daily Times.
"We were in a pretty tough spot, but you can get caught up in the situation. We just wanted to take it over by over and see where we got to.
"Hopefully we have done enough to possibly put us into a winning position, and that’s all you want to do for the team."
Chu, the established Volts wicketkeeper, said it was much nicer to spend all day at the batting crease than behind it.
He was effusive in his praise of new Otago captain Georgeson, who battled much of the day with a sore leg.
"Luke had a bung hammie, and I saw a lot of ticker there.
"He’s batting on one leg. That’s one of the gutsiest knocks I’ve ever seen, personally, and to be out there with him for his maiden first-class 100 was special."
After Chu (30 not out overnight) and Georgeson (15 not out) grafted the Volts through to lunch at 250 for six, and kept on going in the afternoon session, attention turned to who might get to a century first.
Both spent an age in the 90s but neither looked nervous, and when Chu clipped a boundary through the off side, he had his personal milestone and the 200-run partnership was reached.
Chu, whose innings would have catapulted him into the Black Caps frame had Tom Blundell not scored a ton in the second test, was particularly powerful on the pull shot.
Georgeson, meanwhile, was putting on a clinic of defiance at the other end.
He took 177 balls for his 50, and had faced 278 balls when he brought up his maiden ton with a six off former Otago bowler Rippon.
Georgeson has been at the crease for 391 deliveries and 516 minutes, and if he and the tail can nibble away at a few more runs this morning, the Volts bowlers will be cock-a-hoop as they chase 10 wickets for the unlikeliest of wins.
Wellington need 158 more runs with all 10 wickets in hand to beat Auckland. Michael Bracewell took five for 56 for Wellington as Auckland crumbled for 186 in their second innings.
Northern Districts lead Central by just three runs with six wickets remaining in their second innings.
Otago
First innings 117
Canterbury
First innings 331
Otago
Second innings
T Parkes c Hay b Foulkes 7
J Cumming c Rae b Sheat 20
D Phillips c Hay b Rae 5
D Foxcroft b McKenzie 5
L Carter lbw b Sheat 57
L Johnson c Rae b Foulkes 23
M Chu c Rippon b Sheat 130
L Georgeson not out 134
T Muller b Rae 6
J Duffy not out 1
Extras (2b, 7lb, 6w, 8nb) 23
Total (for 8wkts, 151 overs) 411
Fall: 1-21, 2-29, 3-40, 4-40, 5-113, 6-128, 7-393, 8-405.
Bowling: F Sheat 25-6-52-3 (1nb), Z Foulkes 28-3-84-2 (1w, 6nb) M Rae 32-8-88-2 (2w), A McKenzie 23-4-60-1 (1w), C Paul 13-3-48-0 (2w, 1nb), C McConchie 12-6-15-0, M Rippon 9-2-44-0, M Boyle 9-2-11-0.
