Another day, another batting collapse. It used to be that Otago could rely on its top five to score runs and plenty of them. But that has not been the case this summer with Otago folding meekly again yesterday.
Wellington won the Plunket Shield fixture at the Basin Reserve by 286 runs after dominating the visiting side for all but the opening session on Tuesday morning.
Otago resumed on 30 for one, chasing a target of 442 for an unlikely victory.
The Volts' batting line-up has been short of runs and even shorter on confidence and capitulated to be all out for a pitiful 155.
Aside from a steady 61 from Craig Cumming, there was not much in the way of positive news to report about the batting display.
Thankfully, for some of Otago's top five, the Plunket Shield takes a hiatus for 2 months while the twenty/20 and one-day tournaments are staged. And the break could not come at a better time.
With three former internationals in the top five, the Volts should not be struggling for runs. But they are and it is the most experienced players who are letting the side down the most.
Since being appointed captain, Aaron Redmond has barely troubled the scorers, with 107 runs in seven innings at an average of 15.28. Neil Broom, one of Otago's most consistent run-scorers in recent times, has been woefully out of nick as well with 104 runs at 17.33.
Even Cumming, the leading statesman in the team and the Otago's all-time leading scorer, has had plenty of starts but has struck just one half-century in seven innings. His return of 197 runs at 28.14 is not terrible but well below his own high standards.
Sam Wells has been the best of the top five with three half-centuries in his haul of 228 runs, and Michael Bracewell had a double failure against Wellington but has shown promise with 171 runs at 34.2.
It has certainly been lean pickings and Otago coach Vaughn Johnson has been vocal in his disappointment.
"You can't just brush it aside, but what I don't want to do is focus too much on the negatives from this game because then you bring up and create stuff which is probably not helpful when we have a one-day game [tomorrow]," Johnson said.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty annoyed. But it is the coach's job to pick the side up and that is what we are working on at the moment.
"I still have complete faith in the players in the side but at the moment they are in a batting slump.
"If there is a continuation of that then you will see some new faces."
Otago will not have much time to dwell on the defeat with the two teams scheduled to play a one-day game at the Basin Reserve tomorrow. Otago has stuck with the same side which demolished Northern Districts by 111 runs late last month.
Plunket Shield leader Northern Districts easily wrapped up the Canterbury tail in the first session at Seddon Park to win by 241 runs. Northern always looked likely to take the points in Hamilton, after a huge second-innings total of 436 gave it a 454-run lead to defend.
Despite Todd Astle (44) and Ryan McCone (31) providing some hard hitting late it was not nearly enough to save Canterbury from defeat, as it crumbled to 213 all out. Graeme Aldridge was the chief destroyer for Northern, finishing with career-best figures of six for 41.
The win was ND's second from four matches this season, and boosted its lead at the top of the table to 12 points, while Canterbury is now rooted to the bottom.
In the other game, Central Districts was content to settle for the draw against Auckland, batting out the day without incident. Matt Sinclair notched his 33rd first-class century but that was the only real action of note as Central crawled to 367 for six before stumps were drawn.
Auckland consolidated its position of second, with Central Districts four points behind.
Otago one-day team to play Wellington tomorrow:-
Aaron Redmond (captain), Neil Broom, Michael Bracewell, Craig Cumming, Sam Wells, Nathan McCullum, Jimmy Neesham, Derek de Boorder, Ian Butler, Neil Wagner, Nick Beard, James McMillan.
