Tama Canning leads Auckland home over Otago

Auckland were quick to build a position of strength in their State Championship game with Otago today and claimed an outright win by 171 runs.

Tama Canning proved a key contributor on the day. While overnight century maker Tim McIntosh could add only four more runs to his total to be out for 117, Canning kept the total moving until he was unbeaten on 56 when the declaration was made when Auckland were 360/6.

Otago bowler Kerry Walmsley claimed McIntosh's wicket, a good reward for a match performance a cut above the rest of the attack for which he relied on good line and length throughout the match.

Walmsley finished with four for 59 to end the game with seven for 139.

This meant Otago had to get 360 to win in 81 overs, a rate of 4.44 per over.

It was not an easy task but one that could be achieved if two of their batsmen could get a big score with the rest chiming in. If successful they could add four points to the two they had already achieved for a first innings lead.

Robbie Lawson and Brendon McCullum started off well but McCullum was soon in trouble with an injured knee and needed his captain Lee Germon to act as his runner. This was obviously a handicap and he soon out for an insignificant number of runs.

Lawson battled on and looked all class with a fine 63. Chris Gaffaney too, with 45, showed some good form but when four middle-order wickets fell for only 20 runs it was all Auckland and only a matter of attempting to survive for Otago.

Attempting and achieving proved two differing things however, as all Otago could do was reach 188 with the remaining batsmen trying hard to bat out time but inevitably failing.

Canning grabbed a bag of five wickets with some competent straight medium-fast bowling to end with five for 35, a match haul of seven for 106. Andre Adams provided good support to take two for 41.