Cumming scored his 12th first-class century, 133, to lead Otago to a solid position after the first day in a State Championship game against Central Districts at McLean Park, Napier, yesterday.
The Volts were dismissed for 357 off precisely 100 overs, having batted at a relatively brisk rate throughout the day after being asked to bat on a new deck.
Cumming seems resigned to not getting the opportunity to add to his 11 test caps, or rebuild his mediocre average of 25.94, but plenty will be wondering why he and Matthew Bell are not still opening the batting for the Black Caps.
He had to show his fighting spirit yesterday as Otago suffered a horror start.
Fellow opener Shaun Haig, promoted to the top with Hamish Rutherford dropping down, was dismissed for a second-ball duck, bowled by the in-form Ewen Thompson, off the final ball of the first over.
Two balls later, Greg Todd was gone for a first-ball duck, plunging Otago to the unpleasant state of four for two.
But Cumming and a gritty Neil Broom did not panic, choosing to play positively and rebuild as soon as possible. Cumming counter-attacked, smashing nine boundaries and pushing to his 50 off just 50 balls before lunch.
Broom also upped his scoring rate and the Otago pair added 159 for the third wicket. Broom's innings ended on 60 (101 balls) when he edged an attempted pull stroke off Mitchell McClenaghan to wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs.
Teenager Hamish Rutherford clouted three sixes in rushing to 41 off 51 balls before holing out to captain and part-time spinner Mathew Sinclair.
Cumming reached his century off 129 balls (164min) and pushed on to 133 before being caught by McClenaghan off another part-timer, George Worker.
Nathan McCullum added 35, Ian Butler added another 24, and wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder hit 19 - all making valuable contributions.
Central paceman Thompson, finished with four for 64 off 25 overs.
Stumps were called at the conclusion of the Otago innings, and Central will open with Worker and Peter Ingram this morning.
