Auckland wicketkeeper Reece Young's joy at scoring his maiden first-class one-day 50 was shortlived against Otago yesterday.
Guided by a solid 41 from skipper Craig Cumming, Otago - set 203 to win the fourth round State Shield match - cruised to their target with two wickets and six
balls to spare.
Auckland, who had the services of Black Caps Lou Vincent, Kyle Mills, Scott Styris and Chris Martin, won the toss and opted to bat in wintry conditions in Queenstown.
They were quickly in trouble. Vincent fell for a duck after facing two balls when Warren McSkimming got him leg before.
With McSkimming leading the way with three for 40 off his 10 overs, Otago winkled out the Auckland batsmen at a steady rate.
Young, 27, playing his 43rd first class one-day match, struck five boundaries as he reached his career milestone off 59 balls before he was bowled by Cumming on 68.
Styris, returning from injury, hit 34 off 59 balls and shared a 50-run partnership with Rob Nicol as they tried to stabilise Auckland's innings.
Styris left with the score at 88 for four, and Nicol at 92 for five.
Mills, also making a comeback from injury, was short of his best, going without reward from his seven overs although he was economical, conceding just three an over.
* Competition leaders Wellington were left scratching their heads after losing to Northern Districts by 133 runs in Taupo.
Sent in to bat, bottom-placed Northern rustled up 246 from their 50 overs.
Northern's Welsh opener, Alun Evans, top-scored with 79 and notched his 10th first-class one-day 50 off 62 balls, hitting eight boundaries.
He shared a partnership of 69 runs with wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan.
Bowler Ian Butler also shared a 50-run stand with Mark Jefferson for the seventh wicket.
Cruelly, Butler was caught just seven runs short of his first domestic first-class half-century.
- NZPA
