Cricket: Pair bring late sanity to day

By TERRY MADDAFORD

GISBORNE - Michael Parlane and Mark Bailey got together to produce an 83-run partnership in the last session on the first day of the Shell Trophy match between Northern Districts and Otago.

It was the best partnership and the first semblance of sanity at Harry Barker Reserve yesterday.

Before this pair - two of the more experienced players in the Northern side - came together at one wicket for no runs in Northern's second innings, 21 wickets had fallen but only 161 runs had been scored in two zany sessions of supposedly first-class cricket.

Northern managed 84 from 321/2 overs; Otago replied with 77 from an over more and by stumps - called two balls early because of bad light - the home side had extended their lead to 110 with six second innings wickets in hand.

From the time Northern were sent to the crease, after overnight rain had delayed the start, until Parlane and Bailey settled things down, wickets had fallen quicker than nine-pins.

Northern reached 14 in their first innings before Shayne O'Connor struck. He trapped Parlane leg before for six. Glenn Jonas then removed James Marshall in the same manner before O'Connor took complete control.

He sent Neal Parlane, Hamish Marshall and Scott Styris packing all without scoring as Northern slumped to 32 for five. When Jonas cleaned out Joseph Yovich - the fourth successive batsman not to score - the innings was in tatters.

Defiantly, Bailey stood firm. He was the only batsman to reach double figures. His 104-minute stay was a lesson to those who had simply not played sensible cricket in testing conditions.

Bailey and Daryl Tuffey added 26 for the ninth wicket - although Tuffey did not actually contribute a run - in the highest partnership of the innings.

Jonas finished with six for 35 and O'Connor four for 29 in bowling almost throughout the innings.

In reply, Otago could not even manage to eke out first innings points.

Bowlers Yovich - surely as fast as any in the country at present - and Tuffey took four wickets each. Against their accuracy, Otago were just as uncertain and loose in their shot selection.

At 45 for five they had a chance but Tuffey removed Brendon McCullum and Nathan Morland without scoring and the innings ran its inevitable downhill course to end eight shy of the runs needed for first innings points.

While Grant Bradburn might have been a trifle unlucky to have been given out to a catch at the wicket without scoring in Northern's first innings, he later joined the select group of New Zealand first-class cricketers to take 100 catches. He caught newcomer Hayden Anderson - another who failed to score - off Yovich.

Alas, by the end of the day Bailey and Michael Parlane had again caught the bug. Their departure puts the game back in the balance as both teams chase precious outright points - Otago to stay in the Shield race and Northern to book their place in the final.