KEY POINTS:
Otago's Bradley Scott was a crucial figure at the end of both innings as his side denied Wellington a home final in the domestic one-day competition yesterday.
Scott rattled off a quickfire 35 off 26 balls and claimed crucial wickets with consecutive balls as Otago won the final-round table-topping clash at Invercargill by 18 runs.
The result at Queen's Park lifts Otago to the top of the table and they will host the final on February 10 unless Auckland can beat Central Districts and earn a bonus point in their match at Eden Park today.
Either way, Wellington will be involved in the second versus third semifinal on February 6.
They had victory within their grasp as a 107-run seventh-wicket partnership between wicketkeeper Stu Mills and allrounder Luke Woodcock carried them to within sight of Otago's 230 for nine.
But needing 25 off the last three overs, left-arm seamer Scott returned to remove Woodcock for 47 and Mills for 60 in consecutive balls. The visitors struggled from there, dismissed for 212 with four balls remaining.
Scott bagged three for 29 while fellow-new ball bowler Mathew Harvie snared three of his own at the start of the chase as Wellington lost their first four wickets for 42.
Asked to bat, Otago were six for two before they could even blink, with Jordan Sheed and Aaron Redmond both edging Scott Rasmussen deliveries.
With Otago teetering at 103 for six, Gareth Hopkins and Nathan McCullum had a lot to do to ensure Otago reached a competitive score.
The pair immediately put pressure on the field, taking quick, and sometimes risky, singles. Both were able to get the bad ball away for boundaries.
But Hopkins was the more definitive, dispatching a couple of glorious sixes - one on to a hockey field some 90m away - for his 47.
Their partnership of 71 was invaluable for Otago and helped set up a platform for Scott to tonk his 35 at the death.
Otago coach Mike Hesson had a beer in one hand and a satisfied grin on his face after the match.
"We were under the pump at certain times and we stood up, which will hold us in good stead for the final," Hesson said. "We are in two finals now and have a good chance of winning a title, which is important to us."
Otago will also contest the Twenty20 final against Auckland at Eden Park on Sunday.
- NZPA, OTAGO DAILY TIMES
