DAY FOUR
The Mondiale Auckland Aces edged the SBS Bank Otago Volts in a close finish, pace bowler Lockie Ferguson finishing with a five-wicket bag, while the Volts' BLACKCAP Mark Craig had to retire hurt on zero after having his hand broken by a Ferguson no ball. Chasing 218 for a shock win, the Volts' innings instead ended just short at 207/9.
The tense final morning at University Oval saw momentum swing between both the Aces and Volts, in keeping with what has been a taught match throughout. However, the Aces were able to keep their winning streak alive, thanks to an impressive bowling effort led by Lockie Ferguson. The win keeps the Aucklanders on top of the Plunket Shield, brought to you by Budget Rental.
Listen to Lockie Ferguson below
The local side had entered into the final day with two very capable batsmen at the crease in two former Aucklanders: Anaru Kitchen and Derek de Boorder. The Mondiale Aces knew that to have a chance of stopping the Volts’ charge, they needed to dismiss one of the pair quickly.
Ferguson was the man who lifted the Aces early, sending Kitchen packing in just the second over of the day. Attention then fell on de Boorder, and new man BLACKCAP Mark Craig to pull the Volts to victory.
But in an unfortunate incident, Craig was struck on the hand by a Ferguson no ball, and he had to leave the field without scoring. The tough blow left the Volts effectively six down.
Derek de Boorder showed a determined bat. Photosport
De Boorder seemed to be finding his feet, however, then united with Christi Viljoen. Viljoen was unable to stay in support and was trapped by Colin de Grandhomme, the big Aces allrounder enjoying a good spell of form with the ball in hand.
Colin de Grandhomme has been in the thick of the action time and again
Things looked to be swinging, at that point, into the visitors' favour, but then a stubborn partnership between de Boorder and Craig Smith quickly changed things. The duo, led by the experienced de Boorder, took the attack back to the Aces and suddenly made the equation very interesting. The pair had put on 50 together and then de Boorder reached the individual milestone himself, as they moved closer and closer to the target.
It took a change of tactic from Aces captain Michael Bates to shake things up. The skipper tossed the ball to Tarun Nethula and the talented legspinner was able to provide just the breakthrough needed by his side, in his first over of the match.
Smith was trapped lbw and the complexion of the game changed yet again. And, the momentum was about to swing further again in favour of Auckland in the very next over, when Ferguson was able to claim Jacob Duffy’s wicket and have Otago eight down.
Lockie Ferguson captured his third first-class five-for. NZC
Despite the losses, de Boorder continued to look to score and was able to move things along with the help of Jack Hunter.
The youngster was able to keep with de Boorder and survived a sharp catching chance off Nethula’s bowling to hang on. De Boorder then enjoyed a very fruitful over off Ferguson, and put his side within touching distance of victory.
But a tight over from Nethula and then the extra of pace of Ferguson to follow spelled the end for the Volts. Derek de Boorder was eventually out for an impressive 81, and the wicket gave Ferguson figures for the innings of 5-68, his second five-wicket bag of the season and third overall.
DAY THREE
Stumps update: SBS Bank Otago Volts 86/4, requiring a further 132 runs tomorrow if they are to become the first team this season to inflict a defeat on the Aces. The Aces were all out for 139.
Tea update: Mondiale Auckland Aces 122/6 (Jeet Raval 47, Robbie O'Donnell 46; Jacob Duffy 3-47, Christi Viljoen 2-28) leading by 200 runs in the second innings.
Lunch update: Mondiale Auckland Aces 47/1 in the second innings (Jeet Raval 33 not out), a lead of 125 runs. Earlier: SBS Bank Otago Volts 177 all out (Ryan Duffy career best 90 not out; Colin de Grandhomme 3-29, Lockie Ferguson 3-37) at University Oval, Dunedin
The third day saw no let up in the frantic pace with which this match started following day one’s rainout. First the Mondiale Auckland Aces were able to skittle the SBS Bank Otago Volts and then the Volts returned the favour in even quicker time, before the visitors extracted four late wickets to get back into the game late in the piece.
All that action means the sides head into the final day in an intriguing position as the Aces look to keep their unbeaten record alive.
The Volts will enter the day in search of 132 runs to win and six wickets with which to do so. Former Auckland player Anaru Kitchen is at the crease with Derek de Boorder.
The Aces were able to produce some much needed late wickets through the pace of Lockie Ferguson, Matt Quinn and Colin de Grandhomme, their effort having been made necessary following a humbling with the bat.
Volts skipper Brad Wilson revs the troops. Otago Volts facebook
The Aces had entered their second crack with the bat with a juicy lead, thanks to an excellent bowling performance. However, despite a solid partnership building at the top between Raval and O’Donnell, things went dramatically sour for the Aces after lunch.
First it was Raval who, after motoring through the 30s and early 40s to 47, was out care of Jacob Duffy. Robbie O’Donnell then looked to play the anchor role. He, too, seemed like he was finding his feet and moved to 46 with consecutive boundaries off Duffy, only to leave the next ball and have it hit his middle and off stumps.
From there it was a slippery slope as the locals extracted maximum potential from the conditions. Spells of resistance were offered by Brad Cachopa 11 off 32, Donovan Grobbelaar 15 off 32 and Tarun Nethula 5 off 32, but none of the players could stick. Eventually the Aces folded their second hand all out for 139: 217 runs ahead.
The innings had come to a close not long after tea so the Aces still had a chance to have nudge at the Volts' batting line up. Early on it looked like the locals had unlocked the secret to surviving on the Uni Oval pitch, but a chop on from first innings hero Ryan Duffy debunked that theory.
Duffy’s wicket gave the Mondiale Aces bowlers a sniff and they were able to pull out three further wickets late in the session.
Anaru Kitchen and de Boorder were then able to survive a late attack to get the Volts out of the day only four down.
A fine day in store. Otago Volts Facebook
DAY TWO
Stumps score: SBS Bank Otago Volts 116/5 (Ryan Duffy 62; Lockie Ferguson 2-26) trailing by 139 in the first innings. Earlier: Mondiale Auckland Aces 255 all out (Robbie O'Donnell 87; Craig Smith 3-55, Jack Hunter 3-74, Christi Viljoen 3-44) at University Oval, Dunedin
Brisk conditions and a green pitch greeted players at University Oval on the morning of the second day of the Mondiale Auckland Aces' clash with the SBS Bank Otago Volts. Conditions suggested a toss win would be important in getting a foothold in the match, however a positive batting display on a difficult wicket, and an impressive late spurt with the ball, would have the Aces well and truly in the match at the midway point.
Volts captain Brad Wilson won the toss and happily sent the visitors in. Early on, it appeared it would be a trying time as Jeet Raval, fresh from a ton in the last round, came unstuck in the very first over of the day.
So, Robbie O’Donnell found himself at the crease in just the second over of the day and, in what was a hugely important knock for his side, was still there until the 45th.
Robbie O'Donnell is making a name for himself
In the those middle overs, O’Donnell was able to provide a defiant backbone for the Aces. The youngster built several modest partnerships as the Aucklanders ticked things along and frustrated the locals.
O’Donnell’s most meaningful stand came with Donovoan Grobbelaar. The allrounder has shown in this half of the season just how useful he can be with the bat. The duo was able to eke out more than 70 runs together and push Auckland towards batting bonus point territory.
O’Donnell eventually took the Aces past 200 with Tarun Nethula, before he lost his wicket after a critical 87. His 87th run was also the 21-year-old's 1000th in first-class cricket.
Nethula was then joined by skipper Michael Bates, and the experienced pair was able to further push the side along.
Tarun Nethula
After Bates fell on five, Nethula and Lockie Ferguson put Auckland within striking distance of 250.
Nethula, however, lost his wicket with his side at 225: that saw Matt Quinn join Ferguson.
The pair clearly enjoyed their partnership as a flurry of deliveries was sent to the boundary. The stand included one very expensive over from Mark Craig, which saw the Aces reach their 250 milestone.
The late order, however, couldn’t sustain its hitting and the Aces were eventually all out for 255, Christi Viljoen picking up three late wickets to complement the work that had been done by young Jack Hunter at the top.
Jack Hunter collected three wickets
The 10th wicket coming just before the regular scheduled tea break, the visitors would have the entire final session to attempt to make some in-roads into the Volts' batting line-up.
It seemed the opening pair of Brad Wilson and Ryan Duffy would be able to frustrate the bowling attack into the late afternoon, with solid batting and a couple of chances not falling.
Back in blue: Ryan Duffy (the elder)
But Michael Bates’ rotation of his bowlers bore fruit, and Lockie Ferguson cleaned up skipper Wilson for seven.
Another change up just a couple of overs later from Bates had the new man Michael Bracewell heading back, in his 50th first-class match, after he missed a ball from Grobbelaar on five.
Bates himself then had the next strike in the very next over as he had Kitchen, following on Bracewell’s heels, for the same score. Duffy the elder meanwhile was staying solid at the other end in his Otago return.
Duffy was eventually able to find some support in the form of Jimmy Neesham as the pair calmed things down. The clam spell could only last 10 overs, however, as Neesham fell to Matthew Quinn as Bates continued to rotate his arsenal.
Lockie Ferguson
It was then up to Derek de Boorder to try and close out the day for the home side but, after a 13-ball stay, he clipped a Ferguson delivery through to his fellow keeper Brad Cachopa and was gone for the popular, or perhaps unpopular, Otago score of five.
The holding job was left to Mark Craig and Duffy. BLACKCAP Craig was able to show his capabilities with the bat and keep things together with Duffy to get the Volts to 116/5, the finish setting up and interesting third day with the Volts still needing 139 runs to draw even with the Aces.
Report courtesy of Auckland Cricket
DAY ONE
Glum skies greeted competition leaders the Mondiale Auckland Aces as they hit the road south for their last three rounds of the Plunket Shield, brought to you by Budget Rental, with no play possible on the first day.
An early lunch was taken but, frustratingly for both sides, the covers remained parked across the University Oval block as soft rain continued through the afternoon. Play was called after the break and will resume at the earlier time of 10am on day two.
The Aces have brought an unchanged squad but are yet to name their XI, while the Volts are eager to get off the bottom of the table with a giant-killing comeback.
