Cricket: Stags in for long haul on driveway

CD seamer Blair Tickner said bowlers had to bend their backs and hit hard into a Saxton Oval wicket in the hope it would dry up to offer some wickets after Otago made a mammoth total. PHOTO/NZME.

The highway project was well and truly under way as Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags faced a mammoth Otago Volts' total in their opening round of the Plunket Shield match in Nelson yesterday.

Having won the toss, the visitors elected to pad up before posting 479-5 declared on day two yesterday on the foundation of centuries from Volts captain Brad Wilson (111 runs) and fellow opener and ex-Black Cap Hamish Rutherford (143).

They had been 302-3 overnight.

Stags seamer Blair Tickner was the pick of the bowlers with a frugal 38-1 from 22 overs, including eight maidens.

"It was a real long day for the boys. We just had to bowl hard into the wicket and make it dry up to see if wickets would come," Tickner said.

At stumps yesterday, the William Young-skippered CD were 134-1, still trailing by 345 runs.

Opener Greg Hay was 74 not out (139 balls) while newbie Mitchell Renwick was unbeaten on 52 (135 balls) at first drop as the pair showed great patience to occupy the crease.

The only casualty was adroit opener Ben Smith, departing for three runs.

Hay carved up his 14th first-class half century while Renwick lent credence to why Cd coach Heinrich Malan has put faith in him with his third half ton.

Tickner said the wicket was pretty flat and hopefully the Stags batsmen would post a healthy total and rely on it to break a little to offer spinner Ajaz Patel some profit for wickets.

When he was caught off Patel, Neil Broom was dismissed seven runs short of what would have been his 18th first-class century.

Tickner said NZC had requested Ben Wheeler bowl only eight more overs so as not to risk injuries to the former Black Caps seamer who was wicket-less from 15 overs and going for 57 runs, including two maidens.

"Hopefully he won't be too sore overnight and Ajaz will come to the party later."

New Canterbury Kings signing "action man" Ryan McCone was the next in the frugality stakes, taking 1-69 off 27 overs, including seven maidens.

Tom Bruce took 1-25 off eight overs but the highway project industrious worker award was overwhelmingly awarded to Patel who claimed 2-144 off 43 overs, including five maidens.

Tickner said the overall picture was to contain Otago to deny them bonus points they would have got if they got to 110 overs at one stage of their innings.

"The wicket looked like a bowling one at the start of the game," he said, claiming it was showing signs of breaking yesterday.