Cricket: The last stand that lasted ... and lasted and lasted

Just when Auckland's triumphant sweep through the provincial first-class cricket competition looked to be continuing at Eden Park's outer oval yesterday, a couple of unlikely Otago players intervened with an abrupt reality check.

Halfway through the day, with the Auckland pace bowler Kerry Walmsley rampant against indifferent Otago batting, it looked almost certain the match would be well over by the scheduled final day on Thursday.

But then came a remarkable counter-attack, led first by Warren McSkimming and then by the increasingly confident Bradley Scott.

From 137-8 they took charge of the Auckland attack to the extent that when their ninth-wicket partnership ended late in the day, they had added 208, leaving Otago with a competitive 347-9 at stumps. In exposing some of the frailties of the earlier batting, both comfortably set new personal marks in first-class cricket - McSkimming with 111 (his century coming in 218 minutes from 164 balls) and Scott with 96 not out.

McSkimming's previous best had been 66 not out and left-hander Scott, in struggling to have an average in double figures, had a previous best of 33.

Both men hit powerfully with a full array of shots and left Auckland so frustrated that one of the outfielders, Lou Vincent, turned to the smattering of spectators in the stand and asked whether any of them would fancy a bowl.

McSkimming was especially impressive, one of his few blemishes being a sharp chance to Richard Jones in the slips when he was 60.

Their stand of 208 was also an Otago record for the ninth wicket, topping the 134 which Neil Mallender, the pace bowler later capped by England, and Jeff Wilson shared in the 1992-1993 season.

It was 31 short of the New Zealand record set for Central Districts in the 1952-53 season by Harry Cave and Ian Leggat.

Walmsley was all fire and aggression in the early stages. He quickly rattled through the top order and seemed sure of a cheap five-wicket bag when Otago by lunch were 95-6 and soon after 137-8.

Little went right for Otago and the side's troubles started before a ball had been delivered.

Batsman Mohammad Wasim suffered back spasms 10 minutes before play started and was assisted by a runner in his short innings.