CD batsman Greg Hay posted his eighth first-class century at Saxton Oval, Nelson, yesterday. PHOTO/NZME.
CD batsman Greg Hay posted his eighth first-class century at Saxton Oval, Nelson, yesterday. PHOTO/NZME.
They did it last summer and the Central Districts Stags have no intentions of bucking that trend this season when it comes to making sporty declarations in a bid to eke out results.
"We got to the 365 mark in 104 overs so we're pretty happy," Devon Hotel-sponsored CD coachHeinrich Malan said last night after the hosts declared for five wickets on a benign batting Saxton Oval wicket in Nelson in their opening four-day Plunket Shield match against the Otago Volts.
The visitors were 117 in 35 overs of their second dig, establishing a 231-run lead with all wickets intact after a first innings total of 479.
The Stags have bagged four batting bonus points while the Volts have three in the first dig but the bowling bonus points favoured Otago 2-1.
"We've pulled the pin much earlier in anticipation of trying to get a result tomorrow," Malan said after CD opener Greg Hay provided the ideal platform with his eighth first-class century (136 from his half ton overnight).
"Gregory played really well to fulfil the role of anchoring the top to ... allow our exciting middle order to set off," he said after No 5 Tom Bruce racked up a quick-fire 78 from 74 balls.
Volts century-making openers Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson are 71 and 44 not out, respectively.
Malan was mindful NZC wanted every venue in the country to work on exposing its character on wickets.
"It's a work in progress with the groundsman at Saxton Oval because they are still trying to find what that character is," he said, not expecting it to break much although it was offering some slow turn to the tweakers.
"It's raining tonight so, hopefully, it'll stop."
The wicket had a different bounce on day three with some deliveries staying low while others "spat up" but the other variable for both sides to factor in was their field settings.
He was hopeful Otago were of the same mindset should play resume "and give us a whack at it" within the ambit of runs required from a competitive number of overs.
"What score they'll be comfortable with I don;t know but we've thrown the ball in their court," he said of the William Young-skippered Stags.
