Otago rewrote the record books with a magnificent batting display to dispatch Central Districts by 56 runs at the University Oval yesterday.
The home side bludgeoned 321 for five thanks to some spectacular strokeplay from Aaron Redmond and powerhitting from Alex Gidman and Neil Broom.
The massive total was both a ground record and the Volts' highest tally in one-dayers.
Central made an honest chase, reaching 265 for eight and avoided conceding a bonus point by getting past 257.
Both Redmond and Gidman posted centuries in a record third-wicket partnership for Otago of 188 runs. Redmond carried his bat for a superb 134 from 141 balls, including eight fours and three sixes, and treated a crowd of 680 to some delightful lofted drives.
It was the highest individual innings by an Otago batsman, shading the undefeated 128 Mark Richardson compiled against Central in New Plymouth in the summer of 1996/97.
While Redmond was chuffed with his performance, he was more satisfied with the result. The relaxed cricketer had been uncharacteristically nervous before the crucial clash.
‘‘The night before I was quite restless and kept going over the game in my mind,'' Redmond said. ‘‘We were third on the table and felt this game was important to win. If we lost this one we would have been on the back foot.''
The win lifts Otago to second place with four wins from six matches and sets up a top of-the-table clash with Auckland at the University Oval on Sunday.
Redmond had to weather a storm early with Central grabbing the ascendancy, dismissing Craig Cumming and Greg Todd cheaply.
As the pitch dried off and batting got easy, the talented right-hander began to prosper, but he needed a slice of luck to get past 43 when Black Caps seamer Michael Mason dropped a regulation catch at long off.
Gidman joined Redmond at the wicket with Otago staggering at 36 for two. The strapping English professional did not really get going until he reached the 40s, then he let loose with some impressive lofted shots down the ground.
The pair decided to take some calculated risks from the 30-over mark, with spinner Tim Lythe the first victim. Gidman (100) teed off, using his feet beautifully to launch Lythe over the long off boundary for a couple of sixes.
Gidman's batting blitz ended shortly after he raised three figures but Broom continued the good work, whacking six fours and two sixes on his way to a whirlwind 46 off 19 balls.
Broom tried to glance Mason off his hip down to the fine leg boundary but was bowled. Had he scored the four he would have bettered Chris Cairns' 20-ball 50, still the quickest halfcentury scored in New Zealand.
The Volts, who had a disappointing twenty/20 tournament with the bat, piled on 192 runs from the last 20 overs. Mason was the pick of the bowlers, taking two for 38 from 10 overs.
Central made a bright beginning to its chase, getting through to 68 for one. A smart piece of thinking by Gidman and the wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder accounted for the key wicket of Sinclair.
With the veteran shuffling to off stump and looking to work the ball into the on side, Gidman fired a delivery down leg. Sinclair overbalanced and de Boorder whipped off the bails for a sharp stumping.
Gidman then yorked Peter Ingram for 32 to cap off a good day. Tim Weston holed out for 36 and Bevan Griggs was bowled for nine by Cumming, leaving Greg Hay (60) and Ewen Thompson to resurrect the innings.
With the required run rate spiralling out of reach, Thompson rode his luck and took the long handle to the attack. The big left-hander whacked 50 off 37 balls before he was stumped off the bowling of Nathan McCullum.
SCOREBOARD
OTAGO
C Cumming b Mason 10
A Redmond not out 134
G Todd c sub b Hefford 2
A Gidman c Barnett b Hefford 100
N Broom b Mason 46
N McCullum c Sinclair b Diamanti 2
W McSkimming not out 4
Extras (4b, 2lb, 16w, 1nb) 23
Total (for 5 wkts, 50 overs) 321
Fall: 1/22, 2/36, 3/224, 4/292, 5/301.
Bowling: M Mason 10 overs, 0 maidens, 38
runs, 2 wickets (2w, 1nb) B Hefford 10-0-69-1 (6w),
E Thompson 10-0-73-0 (2w) B Diamanti 10-0-45-1,
T Lythe 6-0-57-0 (2w), M Sinclair 4-0-33-1 (4w).
CENTRAL DISTRICTS
P Ingram b Gidman 32
G Barnett b McSkimming 8
M Sinclair st de Boorder b Gidman 20
G Hay b McSkimming 60
T Weston c Cumming b McCullum 36
B Griggs b Cumming 9
E Thompson c de Boorder b McCullum 50
B Diamanti c sub b Scott 19
T Lythe not out 10
M Mason not out 4
Extras (4b, 9lb, 3w, 1nb) 17
Total (for 8 wkts, 50 overs) 265
Fall: 1/16, 2/68, 3/71, 4/131, 5/150, 6/221, 7/243,
8/253.
Bowling: W McSkimming 9-2-45-2, J McMillan
8-0-42-0 (2w, 1nb) B Scott 10-0-42-1, A Gidman
4-0-16-2 (1w), N McCullum 10-0-56-2 C Cumming
9-0-51-0.
Result: Otago won by 56 runs
