Cricket: Inconsistent Aces decked again

By Terry Maddaford

A record-breaking second-wicket partnership between Michael Lamont and Mark Richardson steered Otago to a convincing win - their second of the Shell Cup season - over a disappointing Auckland side at Eden Park yesterday.

The Auckland Aces much-documented inability to win consecutive matches now threatens their chances of a place in the semifinals.

Otago's positive approach against a team who read all kinds of terror into a pitch which played well - if a trifle slowly - earned them a deserved nine-wicket win with 1.4 overs to spare and kept alive their still slim semifinal hopes.

In other eighth-round action, Wellington bounced back for their fourth win of the season in beating Canterbury by six wickets at the Basin Reserve.

In Nelson, runaway leaders and defending champions Northern Districts saw off Central Districts by eight wickets to increase their tally to 12 points - four ahead of Wellington, Auckland, Canterbury and Central Districts. Otago have four.

Saturday's Eden Park clash between old rivals Auckland and Canterbury is now crucial to both sides, while Wellington and CD will be looking for the points against ND and Otago respectively to ensure they go into Monday's last round still in contention.

Refusing to be daunted by any talk of a sub-standard pitch, Otago went about the task of scoring 188 in a no-frills exhibition against a modest Auckland bowling attack spearheaded by returning international Chris Drum.

Chris Gaffaney and Mark Richardson absorbed the early Auckland assault before Aaron Barnes had Auckland's only success in trapping Gaffaney leg before for 25.

Richardson was joined by Lamont and they clinically took the Auckland attack - spinners Brooke Walker and Mark Haslam excepted - apart as they cruised to firstly a second-wicket record against Auckland of 76 - beating the 75 set 18 years ago by Ian Rutherford and Wayne Blair - and then an Otago record against all teams of 103, erasing the 102 set by Lamont and Robbie Lawson against CD three seasons ago.

In the end the Auckland attack was in tatters and showed little on a pitch which got slower but without perhaps the movement the Otago bowlers were able to find earlier.

Richardson batted throughout the 204-minute innings for his 74 not out. In reaching 64 he went past 1500 Shell Cup runs.

Lamont scored 71 not out, making his runs in 143 minutes.

Earlier Auckland, after winning the toss and batting on the same strip used for Saturday's one-day international stuttered to 187 for eight after Aaron Barnes and his surprise opening partner Brooke Walker - promoted in place of the injured Blair Pocock , who batted at seven - had scored 75 untroubled runs for the first wicket.

Walker's dismissal, for 18, was the beginning of the end.

While Barnes went through to 60, no other batsman reached 30. Simon Forde, in only his second Cup outing, was the best of the southern attack with three for 26 from 10 overs of right-arm medium pace.

For Auckland there will be some soul-searching before they tackle Canterbury, who will have the inspirational Chris Harris back. Otago, heartened by their effort here, will be looking for more of the same tomorrow night.