Volts fourth after match rained off

Dion Ebrahim. Photo: Gregor Richardson/ODT files
Dion Ebrahim. Photo: Gregor Richardson/ODT files
More frustration awaited Otago in Invercargill yesterday.

Their match against Canterbury was abandoned without a ball bowled.

That brought the curtain down on a discouraging opening half of the Ford Trophy for the Volts.

The competition will go into a hiatus during the T20 tournament and resume in February.

Otago started with a win against Auckland but lost the rematch and were also well-beaten by Central Districts following a poor batting display.

And an earlier match against Northern Districts was also rained off.

That has left the Volts in fourth place with eight points. Canterbury (seven points) have some ground to make up as well.

Northern Districts (15 points) moved into top spot following a four-wicket win against Central Districts in Whangarei.

Auckland (12 points) play Wellington (seven points) at Eden Park Outer Oval today and will have an opportunity to regain pole position.

Volts coach Dion Ebrahim said the tournament had a "stop-start feel" for the Volts.

"Obviously we’ve had those two washouts," he said, which had not helped.

"There hasn’t been much momentum in terms of consecutive games, and with the back-and-forth results it just feels disjointed as a competition.

"Our big focus when we come back for the second half is to know that those first two or three games are going to be quite critical to get some momentum."

The Volts’ next Ford Trophy assignment is against Canterbury in Rangiora on February 2.

In the other game yesterday, Central Districts slumped to be all out for 185.

Curtis Heaphy top-scored with 55 and there were some minor contributions from Will Clark (34) and Angus Schaw (21).

Kristian Clarke led the attack with three for 25, while Scott Kuggeleijn and Brett Hampton grabbed two apiece.

Northern was cruising at 165 for two but lost a flurry of late wickets. Joe Carter top-scored with 48 and opener Katene Clarke (43) and Tim Seifert (40) did the bulk of the work with the bat.

OUTSTREAM