Cricket: Warmsley leads Otago side to rare victory

Kerry Walmsley led the charge as Otago scored a meritorious 70-run win over Northern Districts at Carisbrook yesterday.

Only 8.5 overs were remaining when Shayne O'Connor trapped Graeme Aldridge leg-before to snare the final wicket to give Otago maximum points in their State Championship match.

Ninety-three overs were lost because of rain on the first three days and it seemed Otago might be thwarted by the weather again yesterday. But their bowlers, spearheaded by Walmsley, who took four for 48 from 19.5 overs, maintained the pressure to clinch a rare win.

Northern were 258 for eight when the players left the field because of a shower at 5.40pm.

The sun returned, the players came back 20 minutes later, and soon it was all over.

Nathan Daley edged the ball to Mohammad Wasim at second slip to give Walmsley his fourth wicket and Otago celebrated a few balls later when umpire Michael George gave the okay to O'Connor's appeal against Aldridge.

It was a dramatic end to a day which seemed certain to be decided on the first innings.

But Northern Districts declared 320 runs behind, Otago batted for four overs - and lost two wickets - and Northern Districts had to make 329 to win from 96 overs.

James McMillan removed both openers, James Marshall and Nick Horsley, Walmsley bowled David Kelly through the gate, trapped Hamish Marshall leg-before and, when Michael Parlane drove off-spinner Nathan Morland to O'Connor at mid-on, Northern were 93 for five.

But Joseph Yovich joined captain Matthew Hart in the best batting of the innings as they added 84 for the sixth wicket in 95 minutes.

- NZPA