Gaffaney and Walmsley build strong position for Otago

An outstanding 113-run eighth wicket partnership between Otago's Chris Gaffaney and Kerry Walmsley allowed Otago to declare their first innings against Wellington in their State Championship match at Carisbrook in a position of strength.

That situation was intensified when Wellington went to stumps on the rain-shortened day at five for one.

Gaffaney and Walmsley started the day in the unsatisfactory position of 209/7.

They were looking for at least another 50 runs to post a competitive total and their first goal was to see off the opening Wellington burst from James Franklin and Andrew Penn.

Gaffaney started off with a burst, hitting successive fours off Penn and then settled into a consolidating and gathering period. Walmsley, whose previous highest score of 39 not out had been for Northern against Southern in the 1997/98 Shell Conference competition, looked solid and gave great support to his senior Otago batsman and finally was dismissed for an excellent 59 having put on with Gaffaney 113 for the eighth wicket.

Walmsley told Cricinfo that it was a great thrill to get a first-class 50 but equally satisfying to put on the century partnership with Gaffaney for their side. The pitch was again extremely flat and would get better as the game progressed, he said.

Gaffaney went on to get his fifth first-class century which was immensely satisfying after getting a 99 against Auckland last season.

It must be said that it was a restrained Gaffaney as the situation demanded a smaller proportion of boundaries than usual from him.

But Otago was grateful for his restraint and when play was interrupted at lunch he had 100 not out beside his name.

The Wellington bowling, after being steady on day one, tended towards being too short, especially to Walmsley who ducked and weaved like a true professional and it was notable that the only wicket to fall in the morning session was to Wellington off spinner Jeetan Patel.

Penn took four for 101, Matthew Walker two for 76, Franklin two for 95 and Patel with one for eight from five overs shared the wickets for Wellington on a wicket which gave assistance in the early stages of the Otago innings but tended to flatten out as the innings progressed.

Wellington, with only six overs left to bat, lost Richard Jones cheaply but managed to see out the remaining two overs until stumps.