KEY POINTS:
A month out from hosting its first test, Dunedin's University Oval came under scrutiny after Otago completed a six-wicket State Championship win over Auckland in less than two days yesterday.
And New Zealand Cricket have reacted smartly. NZC ground assessor Jarrod Carter is going to Dunedin today to work out why the match lasted just 172.3 overs, Auckland's 94 and 128 no match for Otago, who managed 170 in their first innings and made the runs to take the maximum eight points, finishing on 55 for four.
New Zealand play Bangladesh in the first of their two-test tour starting on January 4 and NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said last night it is important to know how much the pitch contributed to the low scoring, with a test round the corner.
"We don't want a four-day game finishing in under two days. It's not good first class cricket," Vaughan said.
Coaches, umpires, ground staff will be involved in discussions to try and get a clearer picture of where the fault lay. Certainly poor batting played a part in the unedifying spectacle but with a test coming up, NZC don't want to risk a farce in Dunedin.
But Auckland opener Tim McIntosh, top scorer in the game with his second innings 47 in three hours intensive labour at the crease, reckoned greater application from the batsmen would have helped.
Far from being underdone or dangerous, McIntosh said the pitch was on the slow side, and offered plenty of help for the seamers.
"When guys are used to the ball coming on, it's difficult," McIntosh said last night. "It wasn't ideal."
Seven Auckland batsmen were out for single figures in the first innings; eight in the second, the only exceptions yesterday being McIntosh, who was first in and seventh out, Colin de Grandhomme with 22 and wicketkeeper Reece Young, with an unbeaten 33.
Otago weren't much better, but did rustle up five scores between 22 and 31 and in a low scoring contest, that gave them enough advantage.
Two Auckland run outs didn't help but 29 of the 34 wickets in the game fell to medium or fast-medium bowlers. For Otago, Bradley Scott took eight for 52 from 25 overs in the game; his new ball pal Warren McSkimming nabbed seven for 55 from 28.1 overs.
In-form Andre Adams was able to produce the odd Otago flutter yesterday as they wobbled at 13 for three before Aaron Redmond got them home with an unbeaten 30.
The pitch for the match was on the edge of the block but the hope is that the strip being prepared for the test will have more pace in it.
NORTHERN V CENTRAL
Central Districts' bid for first innings points against Northern Districts is intriguingly poised at the halfway stage at Hamilton's Seddon Park.
In reply to ND's first innings 341 - of which Daniel Flynn made 110 - CD were 255 for six at stumps.
After watching ND skipper James Marshall fall for 99 on Monday, just missing a second century in consecutive games, Greg Hay followed suit.
He was caught off fast bowler Tim Southee one short of what would have been his second first-class century.
Wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs hit a useful 74, to follow a memorable seven catches in the ND innings, equalling Robin Schofield's CD record against Wellington in 1964-65.
