Cricket: Otago continue to move ahead

Brendon McCullum advanced his claims for national selection with a hard-hit century as Otago continued to flourish in their match against Northern Districts at Carisbrook yesterday.

When stumps were drawn on the second day in the gloom at 7.15pm, Otago had advanced to 453 for eight in their first innings. Otago added 300 runs in 83 overs, after play resumed at 1.20pm on a pitch which demanded accuracy from the bowlers and patience from the batsmen.

McCullum's innings of 105 followed other State Championship scores of 2, 78 not out, 53 and 35 this season.

He batted with maturity as well as aggression yesterday.

He scored his runs in 198 minutes from 151 balls, including 13 fours and a six, and there were magnificent strokes all around the wicket, despite the sluggish pitch.

His was the third century of the innings after openers Rob Lawson made 146 and Mohammad Wasim 104.

McCullum lofted left-arm spinner Bruce Martin on to the terrace to reach his 50, off 83 balls, and 61 balls later he raised his century when he back-cut Martin for two.

He was finally out when he hooked Graeme Aldridge to David Kelly on the square-leg boundary as Otago sought to collect as many runs as possible before stumps.

Three Northern Districts bowlers - Aldridge, Joseph Yovich and Martin - conceded centuries. Lawson's innings occupied 340 minutes, 262 balls and included 20 fours and two sixes while Wasim's came in 346 minutes, 278 balls and included 11 fours.

Their opening partnership of 260 laid the perfect platform and the run-fest continued later, although the scoring rate was never much above three an over.

McCullum and captain Craig Cumming added 53 in 70 minutes for the third wicket, McCullum and Marcel McKenzie 47 in 53 minutes for the fourth, and McCullum and Jordan Sheed 51 in 47 minutes for the fifth.

Jeff Wilson's return to first-class cricket lasted just three runs.

It was 5.51pm and hardly crisis time.

Otago were 364 for four and seeking quick runs.

Wilson cut left-arm spinner Bruce Martin for two, drove seamer Simon Andrews for a single, and that was his lot. He skied a ball from Martin and Andrews took the catch at mid off.

Earlier, Lawson and Wasim carried on where they left off on Tuesday.

Lawson was the more adventurous and Wasim solid but more sedate.

Lawson raced through the 90s with three scoring shots and, once he had posted his century, he swept Martin to the terraces for six to raise the team's 200.

- NZPA