KEY POINTS:
Bruce Martin performed his best Brendon McCullum impression, ironically at the expense of the New Zealand wicketkeeper's sibling, as a last-over six propelled Northern Districts to the top of the State Championship cricket table in Dunedin yesterday.
Martin cleared the long-on boundary with a low-trajectory six off the penultimate ball of Nathan McCullum's final over to tie the four-day match with Otago before scrambling a bye at the University Oval to seal an unlikely four-wicket victory in near darkness.
The tense climax, facilitated by Craig Cumming's sporting declaration, earned Northern six points, enough to leapfrog Canterbury, whose visit to the Basin Reserve proved a pointless exercise.
Northern Districts lead the championship standings on 20 points, two ahead of Canterbury.
Otago remain fifth in the title race on eight points.
