Cricket: Auckland win after rain ruins finish

Colin de Grandhomme of the Aces bats against the Otago Volts. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland's runs at all costs approach paid dividends as they eked out a 10-run win over Otago in a rain-affected domestic Twenty20 cricket championship match at Invercargill today.

Auckland came out with all guns blazing and, despite losing early wickets, were able to amass 175 for eight from their 20 overs on a good batting deck at the picturesque Queens Park.

A thrilling finish was in store as Otago had sped through to 116 for three in the 15th over, requiring two runs a ball from the final five overs with short boundaries, plenty of wickets in hand and captain Craig Cumming (44 from 35 balls) in fine form.

But rain intervened and the players were not able to get back on the field, Auckland awarded the match by 10 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Earlier, Auckland were frenetic in their opening 10 overs but they paid the price, racing to 88 for the loss of six wickets.

They threw the bat at everything and hit some bold shots while Otago were a mixed bag in the field with some sloppy bowling and ground fielding, but their catching was top-notch as Nick Beard, Hamish Rutherford and Aaron Redmond all made brilliant takes.

Colin Munro steadied the ship initially for Auckland and then exploded late in the innings, carting the wayward Otago bowlers for four sixes and six fours in an unbeaten 66 from 48 balls, having not scored a run in his first two bats of the competition.

Spinners Chris Nash (one for 21 from four overs) and Nick Beard (one for 26 from four) did a good restrictive job in the middle but left-arm Neil Wagner suffered at the hands of Munro, conceding 54 runs from his four overs.

Otago v Auckland scoreboard

Auckland

J Adams c de Boorder b McMillan 15
C de Grandhomme c Rutherford b Stevens 16
A Kitchen c Beard b Stevens 1
L Vincent c Wagner b Butler 9
D Hakaraia c Redmond b Butler 15
C Munro not out 66
A Adams c Wagner b Beard 1
B Cachopa st de Boorder b Nash 25
R Hira c de Boorder b Wagner 15
M Bates not out 1

Extras (3lb, 8w) 11
Total (for 8 wkts, 20 overs) 175
Fall: 19, 21, 39, 55, 77, 81, 122, 170.
Bowling: D Stevens 2-0-32-2 (1w), J McMillan 2-0-12-1 (1w), N Wagner 4-0-54-1, I Butler 4-0-27-2, C Nash 4-0-21-1, N Beard 4-0-26-1 (1w).



Otago

A Redmond c Kitchen b Hira 19
H Rutherford run out 21
C Cumming not out 44
D Stevens c Nunro b de Grandhomme 21
I Butler not out 0

Extras (5lb, 6w) 11
Total (for 3 wkts, 14.5 overs) 116
Fall: 43, 43, 115.
Bowling: C Martin 2-0-20-0 (1w), M Bates 2-0-9-0 (2w), A Adams 4-0-27-0, R Hira 3-0-23-1 (2w), A Kitchen 2-0-8-0, C Munro 1-0-16-0, C de Grandhomme 0.5-0-8-1 (1w).
Result: Auckland win by 10 runs (D-L method).

- NZPA