The Volts got into a position to win the game but just could not pry Cleaver from the crease. He carried his team to victory with a clutch undefeated innings of 124.
The 25-year-old right-hander batted through calamity and saw off seven batting partners before Adam Milne (34 not out) smashed the winning runs at Pukekura Park.
Milne might have provided the finishing blow — a six off Warren Barnes — but Cleaver’s run-a-ball innings was the difference between the teams.
Otago amassed 287 for seven and that looked like it would be enough.
Opener George Worker was bowled second ball and the Volts got rid of a majorthreat when Jack Hunter dismissed Jesse Ryder before he could start peppering the boundary. Dual threats Will Young and Tom Bruce also departed promptly, leaving the home team 36 for four.
Cleaver waited patiently for some support and assistance arrived in the form of cameos from Doug Bracewell (35 from 32), Josh Clarkson (32 from 40) and Ben Wheeler (31 from 31).
But Central’s prospects still hinged firmly on their dashing wicketkeeper-batsman seeing the job through.
Earlier, Otago stumbled, losing the wickets of both openers cheaply. Shawn Hicks (32) and Neil Broom (55) added 77 for the third wicket to help establish a base.
But their departures left the visitors vulnerable again. Anaru Kitchen struck a rapid 50 in the six-wicket win against Wellington in Dunedin on Wednesday and picked up where he left off. He was striking the ball crisply before he was bowled for 49.
Derek de Boorder was able to keep the momentum going. The vastly experienced player notched an unbeaten 56 from 53.
But it was Michael Rippon who lifted the run rate the most with a brash assault. He took advantage of the ground’s tiny dimensions, whacking six sixes and three fours.
He had smashed 61 runs before getting out hit wicket and joining West Indian batsman Sunil Ambris in the exclusive club. It is usually a rare dismissal but not this month. Ambris has done it twice in three test innings.
Rippon’s innings had dragged Otago through to a decent total but Cleaver had other thoughts. In the other games, Northern Districts recorded a 43-run win against Canterbury at Hagley Oval.
The visitors reached 274 with Anton Devcich top-scoring with 59. Canterbury’s Matt Henry nabbed three for 35 from 10 overs and his team-mate, Michael Pollard, stroked 119 from 134 balls. But Canterbury was dismissed for 231, with veteran seamer Brent Arnel starring for Northern, taking four for 40.
At Eden Park Outer Oval, Wellington beat Auckland by five wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method.
Mark Chapman scored an undefeated 125 to help Auckland score 266 for seven. But Stephen Murdoch returned fire with 117 to help Wellington reach the revised target of 274.
