Cricket: Bad weather likely to thwart Otago

Andrew Hore, Mark Richardson and Craig Cumming have given Otago the advantage, but time is against them forcing an outright decision in their Shell Trophy match with Northern Districts at Carisbrook.

Cumming lofted Grant Bradburn to the long-on boundary for four shortly before stumps last night to clinch first-innings points and outright second place in the competition.

Otago dominated when play began two hours late because of rain, taking the last Northern wicket without addition to the total of 232 and building an imposing reply of 236 for three.

But the loss of almost the entire second day to rain means an outright decision, should it be achieved by either side today, would almost certainly need to be contrived.

Hore (54), promoted to open in place of captain Matt Horne, gave Otago a flier as he and Mark Richardson scored 84 for the first wicket in 99 minutes.

Richardson (76) and Cumming consolidated by adding 121 in 179 minutes for the second wicket.

Cumming, who had such a wretched start to his trophy career with Otago - he totalled 19 runs from his first six innings - was unbeaten on 89, which included 15 fours and a six.

It has been quite a match for Cumming, who claimed three for 36 off 15 overs with his medium-pacers.

- NZPA