Cricket: Stags batsmen aim to occupy crease big time

CD opener Greg Hay says the Stags have still got a lot of adroit batsmen to come in their batting line up against the Otago Volts in their Plunket Shield match in Dunedin. Photo/Photosport

Two can play the game ... well, in the case of the Central Districts Stags, at least try to do that for the remaining two days in Dunedin.

No pressure but captain William Young and his boys will have to occupy the crease for a fair share of the sessions to take something out of the Plunket Shield match against the Otago Volts at the University Oval.

The hosts declared after a don't-argue 517/7 - with Derek de Boorder going on to carve up his fourth first-class century yesterday - in the lolly scramble for batting and bowling bonus points on a placid wicket that promised a lot but has delivered little for seamers and spinners.

At stumps, the visitors were 163/2 with Black Cap maestro Ross Taylor (30no) and Young (17no) to carry on when play resumes this morning to chase down 350 runs.

Openers George Worker (52) and Greg Hay (57) were back in the pavilion but not after studiously occupying the crease before both fell to test seamer Neil Wagner in the space of 10 balls.

Hay said CD weren't happy to concede a hefty total to Volts but were reasonably happy to bat for the rest of the day although the pair would have preferred bigger totals.

"It's a pretty docile wicket. It's easy paced so it certainly favours the batting side first," the 33-year-old from Nelson said after Otago won the toss and padded up.

"Hopefully our batsmen can push on like their batsmen did for someone to get a really big one," he said after former test opener Hamish Rutherford scored 142 on day one.

A former NZ A rep and considering himself a journeyman, Hay said the Stags had a strong batting line up - with Jesse Ryder, Tom Bruce and wicketkeeper Dane Cleaver to come - but the batsmen would still need to remain focused because the loss of a couple of wickets would put them back under the pump.

Hay agreed CD bowlers needed a break, especially the country's top domestic spinner, Ajaz Patel, who rolled him arm for 44 overs.

"He'll be a sore man tonight, no doubt."