Cricket: Wellington reach final after Otago middle-order collapse

Otago's middle-order folded like a cheap deck-chair under a heavy weight as they collapsed to a 51-run defeat against Wellington in Queenstown yesterday.

Wellington turned around a 76-run first innings deficit and in the process they booked a place in the final against top-qualifiers Auckland at Eden Park starting on April 3.

Wellington's Jeetan Patel was the chief destroyer, grabbing career-best figures of six for 32 as Otago were rolled well short of the 199 needed for victory.

The defeat, their third in succession, was particularly disappointing for Otago coach Glenn Turner.

It was his last match as coach of the province and he said he would like to have gone out with a victory.

"The conditions weren't that bad out there. We just didn't put in one of our better displays with the bat, and that has been disappointing," he said.

"When we look back on the game, that partnership [105] they had between [Sam] Fairley and [Neal] Parlane made the difference.

"We were still in with a chance of winning in the final innings, but one moves on and I'm looking forward to that."

Turner plans to work as a freelance batting adviser and will move to Wanaka.

Wellington resumed at 268 for nine yesterday and added just six runs before captain Matthew Bell was caught for 35 at gully by Greg Todd off the bowling of David Sewell.

Otago had a minimum of 96 overs at a run rate of 2.07 to achieve the target.

- NZPA