Cricket: Northern within sight of victory

Rain enabled Otago to avoid outright defeat within three days against Northern Districts at Carisbrook yesterday.

Northern need just 31 runs to complete victory this morning, and it will be a deserved result because the visitors have outplayed Otago for most of the first three days.

Otago added 85 for their last six wickets yesterday, limping to 185 in their second innings and leaving Northern 98 to win.

Matthew Hart and James Marshall showed every intention of scoring the runs in quick time, but a downpour at 6.25 pm, the last of three rain interruptions yesterday, thwarted their quest.

Hart had scored 32 off 48 balls and Marshall 25 off 47 as Northern raced to 67 without loss in 15.3 overs.

It was a lingering death for Otago, whose batsmen were unable to put together, individually or in tandem, a total which would stretch Northern.

Scott Styris finished with four for 11 from 10 overs as Otago eked out their 85 from 35.5 overs.

Styris dismissed Martyn Croy and Rob Smith in quick succession as the Otago innings folded disappointingly.

- NZPA