KEY POINTS:
The collective might of Otago's batsmen carried their side to a five-wicket victory over Canterbury in a State Shield one-day cricket match yesterday.
Otago confirmed their presence in the top-three playoffs with a fine win at University Oval in Dunedin after they chased down Canterbury's 232 for six.
They got home with five wickets to spare in 47.1 overs after all but one of their top six batsmen made useful contributions.
Wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins provided the spark in the closing overs as he smacked 46 off 28 balls, including six boundaries. Before him, Neil Broom top-scored with 55 off 85 balls while others to share the workload were opener Craig Cumming with 34, Aaron Redmond 33 and Greg Todd 29.
Earlier, a late flurry of activity lifted Canterbury to a competitive score after they appeared marooned when 142 for five in the 41st over.
Despite 62 from opener Michael Papps, Canterbury threatened to implode at that point before Carl Frauenstein joined Kruger van Wyk in a combative stand for the sixth wicket.
These two put on 80 runs in eight overs to resurrect their team's hopes, with Frauenstein underlining his potential by hitting 48 off 29 balls.
He was at the crease for just 33 minutes but hit six fours and one six . At the other end, Van Wyk's unbeaten 29 contained only two boundaries as he calmly fed the strike to his partner.
Michael Parlane, elevated to the Wellington captaincy this summer, responded in forthright terms when Central Districts posed the home team serious questions at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
The right-handed opener struck a career-best 132 as Wellington easily ran down CD's 253 for seven.
They did so with four wickets and 50 balls in hand, to maintain their challenge to qualify for a home final.
Striding to the crease with a new partner in Sam Fairley, Parlane set about the bowlers from the outset.
He was in a class of his own, putting on 108 with Fairley, whose share was 28, for the first wicket before later going on to his 100 off just 89 balls.
Parlane found it difficult to maintain the momentum once he reached three figures as cramp set in and Fairley had to return to the middle to act as his runner.
He was finally prised out in the 39th over when caught in the deep off Ewen Thompson, after facing 116 balls, striking 16 fours and two sixes.
Brendon Diamanti was the most successful of the CD bowlers, taking four for 51. Earlier, his batsmen gave the visitors a chance to keep their top-three playoff hopes alive by posting a competitive total.
Opener Jamie How set the scene with a fine 93 off 119 balls, while Greg Hay made 53 and Bevan Griggs 50.
- NZPA
