Former cricket international Aaron Redmond provided the glue to hold Otago together in the penultimate round of the Plunket Shield competition yesterday.
The 31-year-old fronted with an invaluable 122 as Otago took their time in reaching 264-6 on the first day of the four-day fixture against Northern Districts at Hamilton's Seddon
Park.
Redmond's first century of the season, and the ninth of his first-class career, occupied 362 minutes as fifth-placed Otago employed patience and watchful defence against a Northern Districts bowling attack used to getting its own way.
He was a rock, reaching three figures with eight fours off 228 balls in three minutes short of five hours after his side began unconvincingly due to the early loss of skipper Craig Cumming and Shaun Haig. Fresh from an unbeaten hundred against Canterbury, Cumming lasted just 20 minutes before falling to the first of four catches to wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan, while Haig's stay was even briefer as he stuck around for only three balls.
Neil Broom, with 31, and Derek de Boorder, 54 not out, batted around Redmond as they helped resurrect the innings, with de Boorder reaching a deserved half-century shortly before the close.
Redmond was one of two century-makers around the country as the competition entered the ninth round with five of the six teams remaining in title contention.
Peter Ingram, another international discard, was his normal fluent self in scoring 111 not out for Central Districts against Wellington at the Basin Reserve in the capital.
After a delayed start until 2pm caused by overnight rain, Central ended the shortened day at 226-4, with Ingram's 15th first-class century studded with 13 fours and one six.
Canterbury's Shanan Stewart is also within sight of a century, helping guide the southerners to 298-6 by stumps against Auckland at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.
