Cricket: Trott helps Otago home in a canter

Otago's South African import Jonathan Trott starred again as the southerners beat Central Districts by 24 runs yesterday to set up a tense four-way State Shield cricket play-off race this week.

Trott scored 72 and took two for 48 with his medium pace as Otago restricted Central to 226 for nine off their 50 overs.

It left a logjam of four teams within one point of each other at the top off the points table - Canterbury and Otago on 25 and Wellington and Central on 24.

The feature match in this Wednesday's final round will be between Central and Wellington in Palmerston North, with just three teams qualifying for the play-offs.

It was Otago's fifth win from seven completed matches this season and confirmed their status as genuine title contenders after being the perennial strugglers.

Otago posted what appeared just short of a par score on the friendly University Oval batting surface when they were dismissed for 250 in the 48th over.

But tight bowling from the Otago part-timers slammed the brakes on and despite the best efforts of New Zealand allrounder Jacob Oram, the hosts always had control.

Oram, returning in the past week from a heel injury as a batsman only, top scored with 60 off 64 balls including five fours and a six.

But wickets fell regularly and the run rate slumped in the middle stages, with Oram and Jarrod Englefield adding a fifth wicket partnership of 44 off just 86 balls.

Aside from Warwickshire professional Trott, Otago captain Craig Cumming took an excellent two for 30 off 10 overs of medium pace while Bradley Scott chimed in with two for 48.

It was a good all-round match for Cumming, who scored 52 and with Trott gave Otago a solid batting platform.

Trott hit seven fours in his 72 off 82 balls, keeping his hefty Shield average in three figures with 421 runs at 105.25.

Wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins boosted the total by cracking 40 off 28 deliveries.

Greg Hegglun took four wickets for Central but they came at a cost of 60 runs off eight overs, while allrounder Brendon Diamanti took three for 49.

In other final-round matches on Wednesday, Otago host Northern Districts and Canterbury host bottom-placed Auckland.

- NZPA