Duffy makes Volts' score look better

Time caught up with Hamish Rutherford in a couple of interesting ways today.

The Otago captain was part of a so-so batting effort. The Volts were dismissed for 261 on day one of their Plunket Shield game against Auckland at Eden Park Outer Oval.

But that middling target grew substantially in context. The Aces slumped to nine for three thanks to some deadly accurate bowling by Jacob Duffy.

Auckland will look to rebuild tomorrow, much in the same way as Otago had to today.

Jacob Duffy. File photo

Dale Phillips (45) and Thorn Parkes (54) mended some early damage after the Volts had staggered to 55 for three. Max Chu (34 not out) and Duffy (29) added a bit more stuffing with a valuable stand of 55 for the
ninth wicket.

Duffy then struck with his first ball of the summer, and ripped out another two during three devastating overs before stumps.

Volts coach Dion Ebrahim felt the game was evenly poised.

"To get over 250 having been put in was definitely a bonus and I think the game is set up quite nicely," he said.

"It is still very early in the contest. While we’ve got them three down for not very many, it only takes one or two partnerships to get close to a decent total."

Late drama aside, it had not been a particularly memorable opening to the season for Otago.

Rutherford had something positive to reflect on, though. The experienced left-hander started the day needing 25 more runs to eclipse his father Ken Rutherford’s haul of 5051 runs for Otago, and knocked off the total with a crunching drive through the covers. He was out next ball for 28. Sean Solia got a delivery to nip back through the gap between bat and pad.

The other notable statistic is not one you will read in any almanack, but he got to opening the batting with a second Cumming. The 33-year-old opened the batting with Craig Cumming during his first-class debut in November 2008. Yesterday he opened the batting with Craig’s son Jacob for the first time.

It was perhaps fitting that Jacob was there to see Hamish overhaul Ken’s tally. The young opener has many successful years ahead of him if he is go past his own father’s total. Craig is Otago’s first-class leading scorer with 6589 runs.

Cumming junior was only able to add nine to his career total. He was lured into a drive and edged to slip.

Dean Foxcroft was left rueful in his comeback innings from his Covid-enforced two-year absence. He was adjudged lbw for eight, but it was possibly not out on three counts — too high, outside the line and a possible inside edge to boot.

Phillips got out to a spectacular catch. Who knows why, but he opted for a scoop shot.

As soon as first slip Will O’Donnell saw the batter drop to his knee, he set off for leg slip and made a superman-like effort to haul the catch high to his left. Wonderful anticipation.

That brilliant effort broke a 97-run stand. Chu and Duffy put up some staunch resistance to help the Volts edge past 250. It did not seem like much, but Auckland now has a big rescue job ahead after Duffy’s stint of three for three from three.

In the other games, Northern Districts was rolled for 225 at the Basin Reserve. Iain McPeake took four for 83. Wellington is 44 without loss in reply.

Central Districts was nicely placed at 123 for two against Canterbury when play at Saxton Oval was cut short by wet weather. Will Young is undefeated on 52.