Parkes again finishes just shy of century

Otago opener Jacob Cumming dispatches a delivery during a Plunket Shield fixture against Auckland at the University Oval yesterday. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN

Otago left-hander Thorn Parkes will be filthy.

For the second time this month Parkes got within three runs of posting a second first-class century.

He looked set to bring up the milestone against Auckland at the University Oval last night but decided to reverse sweep a delivery from Siddhesh Dixit.

The 24-year-old missed and was bowled. He stayed slumped over his bat for some time, soaking in the disappointment.

Earlier in the month he was left stranded on 97 not out. He also has an 85 to his name in March as well.

He has been in good form and helped Otago out of trouble yesterday.

The Volts got through to 306 for nine declared which was a win because 250 looked a stretch at one point.

Parkes’ partnership of 79 with Matt Bacon was critical.

Auckland will resume this morning on 10 for one.

Otago opted to bat first.

The wicket was used for the back-to-back T20 internationals in the city early in the week.

The Volts lost opener Dale Phillips early. The right-hander was lured into a drive and feathered an edge through to the keeper.

But Jacob Cumming and Jamal Todd settled in and added 109 for the second wicket.

Auckland did not bowl terribly well and, towards the end of the first session, resorted to bowling short outside of the leg stump.

Otago went to lunch at 119 for one. Cumming was on 49 and Todd (55) brought up his second first-class half-century before the break.

He squirted the ball into the offside and jogged through for a single to raise the milestone.

But Danru Ferns returned from the lunch break fizzed up.

He dug in another leg side short delivery at Todd. The left-hander had been rolling his wrists nicely and milking that line and length.

But this time he fluffed it and spooned a catch to Lachlan Stackpole at square leg.

Ferns got Cumming in his next over with a similar ball. This time the batter tried to defend but popped up a leading edge.

Parkes and Dean Foxcroft repaired some of the damage with a 40-run stand.

But Foxcroft got the perfect ball from left-armer spinner Louis Delport.

Delport looped in a delivery which drew the batter forward. It spun just enough to find the inside edge and first slip Will O’Donnell scooped it up low to his left.

Otago was still reasonably placed at 170 for four.

But Llew Johnson threw his wicket away and Adi Ashok secured two wickets in two balls.

The wrist spinner employed the wrung’un to bowl Brad Kneebone for a duck and he got Thomas O’Connor next ball with the same delivery.

Bacon saw off the hat-trick ball nicely. He punched it through the covers for four and went on to post an undefeated 37.

• Canterbury rolled Central Districts for 111 and are 212 for three at stumps on day one at Hagley Oval.

Wickets tumbled at the Basin Reserve. Wellington dismissed Northern Districts for 119 and are 157 for seven.