Allrounder Ryan McCone hit a century on debut to rescue Canterbury after a top-order collapse against Otago on day one of their State Championship cricket match in Christchurch today.
Better known as a left-arm seamer, McCone strode in for his debut first-class innings at No 9 with his team 101 for seven, and promptly racked up 102 as Canterbury reached a respectable 315.
He faced 173 balls and hit 17 fours, before Otago seamer James McMillan finally ended the resistance with a catch by Aaron Redmond.
Captain Kruger van Wyk also played his part in the rescue act, hitting 105 as the pair added 167 for the eighth wicket. It was his third first-class century.
Otago were 21 without loss at stumps in the battle between the two bottom-placed sides.
Otago skipper Craig Cumming saw something in the Queen Elizabeth 2 Park surface as he sent Canterbury in to bat, and his bowlers did the job.
Former test opener Michael Papps' 40 was the only significant contribution from the top-six as Canterbury slumped to 82 for six.
Van Wyk steadied the innings, facing 180 balls and hitting 14 fours before fellow South African Neil Wagner broke the eighth-wicket stand which spanned 46 overs.
McMillan was best of the Otago attack, ending with three for 27 while Wagner, Warren McSkimming and spinner Nathan McCullum all took two wickets apiece.
