And then they came crashing back down again at the crease.
The Volts bowling attack ripped the Stags top order apart, with the defending Plunket Shield champions out for 182 at University Oval yesterday. It was a dynamic display led by Jacob Duffy’s figures of three for 28.
But the Volts found themselves in trouble late afternoon when they were sent in to bat, finishing on 35 for three at stumps.
Brett Randell took the wickets of both Jacob Cumming and Dale Phillips lbw in the second over and Doug Bracewell, chipped in with his own lbw dismissal, that of Dean Foxcroft.
But there is no reason to panic yet, with the Volts chasing 147 runs for a first innings lead with seven wickets in hand today.
The home side set themselves up nicely through their bowlers.
Duffy and Matt Bacon fired early, taking three wickets between them in the opening nine overs.
Duffy struck with his fourth ball of the game, taking the wicket, lbw, of opener Jack Boyle — who looked back at the wicket in utter disbelief — for a duck.
Bacon then took the wicket of Brad Schmulian in stunning fashion. Schmulian chopped on Bacon’s delivery, tearing the middle stump from the ground and sending the bails flying.
Schmulian’s replacement, Tom Bruce, managed only six runs before he clipped Duffy’s delivery to Cumming at second slip, leaving the Stags 12 for three after nine overs.
Cumming nabbed his second catch of the day when he stretched out to secure the wicket of Dane Cleaver.
Captain Greg Hay and Josh Clarkson tried to steady their innings through the next 21 overs, but Otago kept them quiet, producing nine maidens.
Clarkson finally went in the 40th over for just 13. His shot went flying in the air and he started walking back to the sheds before it was even in Jake Gibson’s hands.
Bracewell went 10 overs later when he was bowled by Luke Georgeson and five overs later, Duffy finally took the scalp of Hay, when his ball skimmed the top of his bat to Cumming.
Hay made the only sizable contribution for the Stags and was steady in the middle, finishing on 59 runs from 175 balls after spending nearly four hours at the crease.
Black Cap Ajaz Patel then went and more trouble came when Randell sauntered between the wickets and a Thorn Parkes direct hit sent him packing. Raymond Toole was also run out.
In the other games, the Wellington Firebirds are 234 for six against Northern Districts, while Canterbury trail Auckland by 209 runs with nine wickets in hand after Auckland were all out for 217 and Canterbury reached nine for one at stumps.
Central Stags
First innings
Otago
First innings
