Otago finish in the best possible fashion

Otago should be awarded 10 out of 10 tonight for avoiding 10 out of 10.

Entering the 10th and final match of their State Championship season and with nine outright losses already listed against them, Otago faced with horror the possibility of losing all 10 matches in a single year.

But at McLean Park in Napier today, clasping fervently to themselves their last chance for redemption, Otago beat Central Districts by eight wickets and so finished the season with a record saved by one gold star among all its black marks.

Otago dismissed Central Districts for 152 in its second innings and, after having led by 90 runs on the first innings, needed only 63 to reverse the trend of the season to date. They took only 16.5 overs to score those runs and to complete their win almost an hour before stumps on the third day.

Central, resuming at 27/0 in its its second innings, went on to 112/2 then lost eight wickets for 40 runs to leave Otago a chase for victory which must have appeared to them almost glorious in its simplicity.

They made only two misteps on the road to victory when they lost the wickets of Brendon McCullum and Craig Cumming within three balls when they were 53. Perhaps to a team so used to losing, it might have seemed at that moment that their worst nightmare would come about - that a defeat, more ignominious than any other, would seek them out.

But they regrouped again and they took only five more overs to hit their victory target. Chris Gaffaney stayed at the wicket throughout the innings and went to 35 with the single from Andrew Schwass that brought up Otago's winning total.

Jordan Sheed, who had been with Gaffaney through the last five overs, was only one not out. In the final hurry towards victory McCullum made 20 and Cumming failed to score.

Otago entered the third day of this match, in which they had held the upper hand from the outset, needing to play positively and with concentration to complete their win. They knew that if they let their guard slip now Central might still deny them, might make the match unwinnable or, even worse, might win it themselves.

They had early success when Kerry Walmsley dismissed Campbell Furlong two runs after the resumption and in the fourth over of the morning. But there must have been concern among the Otago players as Central recovered to 59/1 and then to 112/2, when Mathew Sinclair was at the wicket and apparently in commanding form.

Walmsley gave Otago another wicket, another increment in their victory drive, when he removed Peter Ingram for 13 and left Central 59/2.

The next wicket, which restored Otago's momentum, and which signified the point that the match really turned in their favour, came almost 20 overs later. Those were long and nervous overs for Otago and their coach Glenn Turner.

But when their wicket drought finally broke and as is often the case, it was followed by a torrent of wickets. Simon Beare, who bowled only 27.2 overs in the entire season and took only seven wickets, claimed the wickets of Sinclair and Jacob Oram within seven deliveries.

Central went to 112/3 when Sinclair was out for 42, caught by Nathan Morland, then to 112/4 when Oram was caught by Duncan Drew for 0. Craig Pryor removed Glen Sulzberger for 26 four overs later, Morland dismissed Peter McGlashan, then Morland worked out Schwass. Drew had four catches and Central was 145/7. They had erased Otago's lead with only two wickets down but they had lost five further wickets and were yet only 55 ahead.

Bevan Griggs signfified their last hope but he was out only five balls after Schwass for 24 and Central's collapse was in full swing. Walmsley, who had started the process, returned to finish it. He took the last remaining wickets - those of Michael Mason and Lance Hamilton - and Central was all out for 152 in the 69th over.

Victory loomed over Otago as a prize and a challenge.

Walmsley finished with four for 37 from 18.3 overs but all five Otago bowlers contributed to Central's downfall. Beare took two for five from seven overs, his best bowling return. Morland took two for 21, Neil Rushton one for 29 and Pryor one for 50.

It was now up to the batters to complete the business of victory, to avoid at all costs the possibility of another failure. They did the job, as they had in the first innings when they scored 268 to Central's 178, with their hearts in their mouths at time but with steady and commendable resolution.

The season ended for Otago on its solitary high note.