Cricket: Sparkling 93 for Marshall as ND cruise

By Terry Maddaford

GISBORNE - Hamish Marshall, the youngest player on the field, had plenty of reasons to celebrate as Northern Districts cruised to victory over Otago in their Shell Cup clash at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday.

But the disappointment of failing by seven runs to score a memorable century threatened to subdue the memories of a sparkling career-best 93 in Northern's 252 for four in their chase for the 249 they needed for victory.

Otago, making runs while the sun shone, raced to 49 inside seven overs and 99 in 15 as Mark Richardson and Chris Gaffaney chased the 153-run first wicket record against Northern they set two seasons ago in Mt Maunganui.

Relishing the best batting conditions of the day the left-hand, right-hand combination worked a treat against a Northern attack which struggled.

The Northern cause was not helped by a hard, bumpy outfield. To their credit, the Northern fieldsmen never flagged; their work neat and efficient as they gradually brought the visitors back from that heady start.

In reaching 248 for six, the visitors were 50 runs shy of their target.

They then pegged Northern in the early stages of their chase. Internationals Shayne O'Connor, Aaron Gale and in particular off-spinner Paul Wiseman kept the scoring under control as Michael Parlane and Marshall batted within themselves and took scant notice of the flyer Otago had taken at the top of their innings.

Whereas Otago had raced to 75 in 10 overs, Northern managed just 38.

But their patience was rewarded once the frontline bowlers were out of the attack.

With Otago captain Robbie Lawson forced to call on his part-timers the task became more and more difficult.

Wiseman removed Parlane but any Otago joy was shortlived as younger brother Neal joined Marshall. Both quickly helped themselves to career-best Shell Cup scores with an outstanding display of tempered aggression in posting a Northern second wicket record of 122 - 11 better than Grant Gibson and Barry Cooper managed against Central Districts 18 years ago.

For the bowlers there was no respite. Richardson went for nine off his first over; Lawson and Andrew Hore 10. Mark Billcliff 20 off two.

Only when Gale and then O'Connor returned did the score stutter but it was Billcliff, in his second spell, who struck to remove Neal Parlane (70), Marshall and Bailey and give Otago a sniff.

But a belligerent Scott Styris was not about to become a fifth victim and clubbed the match-winning runs.