Otago avoided a heavy defeat to Canterbury at Hagley Oval yesterday. Rain arrived just before the tea break and settled the match.
The visitors had been on the cusp of defeat.
They had been reduced to 254 for nine in pursuit of a very unlikely target of 463.
Captain Dean Foxcroft limped out to bat at No 11 and swatted three fours and a six just before the clouds let their payload loose.
Regular No 11 Jarrod McKay saw off 22 deliveries at the other end.
That was enough for Otago to escape with a fortunate draw.
But the Volts were not unscathed. Foxcroft injured his knee while trying to take a catch earlier in the game and that could be very costly.
Otago coach Dion Ebrahim said they would know more once the right-hand batter had a scan later in the week.
But Ebrahim said the skipper was "more mobile than we expected" and was able to help save the game.
Whether he is fit in time for Otago’s first home game this season — a Plunket Shield encounter against Central Districts in Dunedin next week — was unclear.
Judging by the way he was hobbling about you would have to say it looks more doubtful than hopeful.
He will be a big loss for Otago, who are already getting by without experienced opener Hamish Rutherford for the first four games of the campaign.
Besides the potential loss of Foxcroft, the Volts were left nursing a bruised ego.
Canterbury dominated the game.
They built a useful first-innings lead of 129 and pressed on to scored 333 for four declared in their second innings.
Captain Cole McConchie (108) stroked his ninth first-class century and Mitch Hay added a valuable 82. That left Otago chasing a massive tally.
They started the day three down and it did not take long before Kyle Jamieson made further inroads.
He enticed Thorn Parkes into a hook shot which ended poorly for the left-hander. Instead of finding the boundary, he chopped the ball on to his stumps.
Jamal Todd (64) and Max Chu (38) showed some resolve in a stand of 99 for the sixth wicket.
Todd batted for more than four hours and the 19-year-old played some delightful drives down the ground. But, having done a lot of hard work, he was eventually undone by a rising delivery from Jamieson.
"I thought both his knocks were superb. He went out to bat both times when we were under immense pressure," Ebrahim said.
"But I thought the way he was disciplined with his execution and decision-making, in that second innings in particular, showed a maturity well beyond his years."
Jamieson finished with four for 43 from 22 overs, while Angus McKenzie bowled 12 maidens during his 17-over shift.
In the other match, Northern Districts completed a comprehensive nine-wicket win against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval yesterday. Matt Fisher took six for 45 to help dismiss Auckland for 161 in their second innings.
That left the visitors a very modest victory target of 51, which they knocked off in 4.1 overs.
CANTERBURY
First innings 313
OTAGO
First innings 184
CANTERBURY
Second innings 333/4dec
OTAGO
Second innings
L Georgeson lbw Foulkes 18
J Cumming c Hay b Jamieson 29
D Phillips c Rippon b Rae 19
T Parkes b Jamieson 6
M Bacon c&b Rae 21
J Todd c Nicholls b Jamieson 64
M Chu c Hay b Sheat 38
J Gibson c Foulkes b Jamieson 22
J Duffy st Hay b Rippon 2
J McKay not out 0
D Foxcroft not out 18
Extras (b7, lb2, w5, nb3) 17
Total (for nine wkts, 109.2 overs) 254
Fall: 1-45, 2-59, 3-70, 4-77, 5-101, 6-200, 7-231, 8-235, 9-236.
Bowling: K Jamieson 22 overs, 6 maidens, 43 runs, 4 wicketsd (3w), F Sheat 16-6-34-1, M Rae 17-2-67-2 (1w, 1nb), A McKenzie 17-12-14-0, Z Foulkes 7-1-23-1 (1w), M Rippon 18.2-8-42-1, C McConchie 8-3-14-0 (2nb), M Boyle 4-2-8-0.
Result: Draw.
