ROUND TWO
NORTHERN DISTRICTS v OTAGO VOLTS
Bay Oval
28-31 October 2020
Toss: Northern Districts who batted
RESULT: NORTHERN DISTRICTS WON BY 90 RUNS
Tim Southee collected his 9th first-class five wicket haul for @ndcricket today! The 5-42 is the 20th time he's taken 5 or more wickets in a first-class innings. https://t.co/PduX7nJcGi #PlunketShield
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 29, 2020
DAY FOUR
Doing it tough, seven wickets in the morning session cost the Otago Volts dearly as they looked to get themselves on the board for the first time this season.
From 186 for two overnight, the visitors had crumbled to 285 for nine by lunch, on what proved a weather-interrupted final afternoon on Hallowe'en at Bay Oval.
Overnight batsman Cam Hawkins had been bowled by spinner Joe Walker on 90 and, from there, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi and Scott Kuggeleijn all picked up cheap wickets whilst former ND allrounder Nick Kelly tried his best to hang on against his former teammates.
Kelly would fight all the way in his unbeaten knock of 82*, with the Volts' last hope resting on the shoulders of himself and number eleven Michael Rae.
The teams went off for a protacted period of rain when the Otago Volts were 310/9, still requiring 111 further runs off 44 overs, with just the one wicket in hand.
Sodhi meanwhile had 4-77 at the break, hungry for a five-for on his birthday. The Volts' last pair put on a gutsy 83 for the final wicket, but it would be Kuggeleijn (3-46) who ended their resistance, and the match, as he lured Rae into prodding an edge to Southee on 28 shortly before 5PM.
ND's first win of the summer propelled them to third on the table ahead of next week's round three clash against unbeaten new leaders Canterbury in Rangiora.
The Volts meanwhile continue their trek on the road with another away fixture, this time against the Firebirds at the Basin where both sides will be hunting their first win.
DAY THREE
Northern Districts were entitled to the box seat at lunch on the third afternoon, the Otago Volts having been set a steep run chase of 421. By stumps, however, the Volts had fought back and made solid inroads into the target at 186 for two.
It had required a substantial turnaround in their top order's fortunes so far this season.
A big effort from Cam Hawkins | PHOTOSPORT
Both openers had reached half centuries before tea, however Anaru Kitchen was bowled on 63 attempting to sweep Ish Sodhi, when the score at 109 for one.
By stumps, Hawkins was still there after almost four hours of solid application, on his equal-best first-class score of 76.
With Hamish Rutherford (28*) he was now on the cusp of a 50-stand for the third, and the target whittled down to 235 on the last day with eight wickets in hand.
Earlier, ND captain Joe Carter had declared the home side's second innings seven down at 264, having added a half century (54) to his unbeaten century (146*) in the first dig.
Opener Henry Cooper had also extended his half ton from the previous afternoon to 85, while Colin de Grandhomme enjoyed the luxury of coming and belting 23 off just nine balls as ND looked to get a crack with the ball at the Volts before lunch.
DAY TWO
Centurion Joe Carter did not get the chance to add to his overnight 146* after the quick loss of last man Neil Wagner on the second morning, but by lunchtime Northern was still well on top after having reduced the Volts to 84 for five in reply to ND's 335.
A sizzling Tim Southee (3-25 at the luncheon break) and Wagner (2-37) had ripped out the top five, starting with Anaru Kitchen trapped by Southee the very first ball of the innings.
Meanwhile at @BayOvalOfficial Tim Southee is on fire for @ndcricket with help from this great catch by Colin de Grandhomme! @OtagoVolts 4 down after earlier Jacob Duffy ended ND's innings at 335 with his 4th wicket. Live VIDEO scoring | https://t.co/pd9GrU8LJL #PlunketShield pic.twitter.com/iaO4nOCAET
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) October 28, 2020
By tea, the Volts were all out for 179 after Southee carried on to pocket his first five-wicket bag of the summer.
Michael Rippon had yet again put up a fight in the rearguard for the visitors, top-scoring with 44 and taking the lead role in a 53-stand with youngster Max Chu for the seventh wicket.
But Southee had the answer, removing him caught behind and from there the Volts fell away across the following dozen overs to concede a first innings lead of 156.
By stumps, ND's lead had expanded to 275 with captain Joe Carter (146 not out in the first innings) once again at the crease unbeaten on 37* and Henry Cooper 58 not out in a 78*-stand for the second wicket.
DAY ONE
Joe Carter continues mining a rich vein of form
ND captain Joe Carter marked his first day of the summer at Bay Oval with his fifth first-class century - and third in the space of six innings.
By stumps the first drop was unbeaten on 146 not out, having anchored his team from 21/1 to stumps at 334/9.
Contributions from Katene Clarke and BJ Watling helped Carter gather some momentum but the definitive partnership of the day was a century stand with BLACKCAP Colin de Grandhomme.
The pair added 121 off 138 balls spinner Anaru Kitchen finally broke the stand at 270/5.
Volt Jacob Duffy (above), taking a brace of catches as well as three wickets, before Michael Rae chimed in with late strikes to help contain the damage and net the maximum four bowling bonuses despite ND's strong effort.
Bad light stopped play with the Volts needing one quick wicket in the morning to wrap the first innings up while ND need just 16 further runs for a fourth bowling bonus.
