Cricket: McCullum stars in victory over Auckland

Allrounder Nathan McCullum played a decisive innings with the bat then bowled a miserly spell to help Otago beat Auckland by 35 runs in their State Shield one-day cricket match at Molyneux Park, Alexandra yesterday.

The explosive batsman bludgeoned 65 runs from 65 deliveries to help Otago reach their total of 238 for seven.

Not content with that effort, he then took two wickets for 25 runs from 10 overs with his right-arm orthodox spin bowling.

But McCullum did not act alone. South African import Jonathan Trott had an equally impressive day scoring 78 with the bat and taking two for 16 from four overs.

"Nathan had a very good day," Otago captain Gareth Hopkins said of McCullum's efforts in the match.

"I don't think it is a lucky thing or fortunate thing. I think he has been worked really hard at his game in the last couple of months and the fruits of his labour paid-off.

"I'm stoked for him and he's basically won us the game."

At 99 for five with 27.1 overs gone, Trott and McCullum set about steming the flow of wickets and resurrecting the innings, patiently to begin with, before launching into a frenzied assault.

Trott played the anchor role while McCullum went for his shots.

The pair added 129 runs from as many deliveries before McCullum was run out attempting to get back to the non-strikers end for a second run.

The partnership surpassed the previous Otago sixth-wicket record of 121 made by Gaffaney and Craig Pryor against Canterbury at Molyneux Park during the 2000-01 season.

Trott was eventually dismissed hitting out in the last over for 78.

Jeff Wilson's first return to the bowling crease for Otago since injurying his ankle late last season began with a short delivery, which was promptly pulled to backward square for four by Auckland captain Richard Jones.

And with some of the Otago bowling a bit erratic, it took a colossal 60m throw from Warren McSkimming to account for Jones.

The batsman was building a promising innings but was caught short of his ground attempting a third run.

Tama Canning and Rob Nicol combined in a useful 62-run partnership for the fifth-wicket but McCullum removed Canning with sharp caught and bowled chance low to his left. McCullum struck again four runs later when Carl Cachopa was caught at mid-off by Cumming.

At 142 for six Auckland's prospects were fading fast, needing more then 10 an over from 12 overs, but Nicol and and Reece Young put on 50 runs from 44 deliveries.

But just when the impossible looked possible, Nicol holed out to Broom in the deep at long-on and the chase folded with Auckland eventually bowled out for 203.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES