A stellar performance with both ball and bat from captain Craig Cumming saw the State Otago Volts upset State Shield one-day cricket leaders State Central Stags by eight wickets at Molyneux Park in Alexandra today.
Cumming picked 1-17 off his 10 overs as Central, sent in to bat, struggled to dominate some tight Otago bowling and could only make 188 for eight off their 50 overs.
The former Black Cap backed up his miserly bowling with a well-paced 70 as the southerners reached 191 for two in the 39th over for a bonus point win.
Otago had made the best possible start, pacing their innings well as openers Aaron Redmond and Shaun Haig put on 57 for the first wicket before the right arm medium pace of Brent Hefford claimed two quick scalps.
Haig was the first to go, caught behind by Bevan Griggs for 21, and was followed three runs later by Redmond, caught in the covers by Central Districts captain Mathew Sinclair.
With the score at 60 for two, Greg Todd and Cumming set about restoring the Otago innings with some well-paced, largely risk-free batting.
Todd played the more measured innings, notching up 48 not out from 71 balls while Cumming let fly in racking up his unbeaten 70 off 73 balls, including seven fours and one six.
For previously unbeaten Central, only 19-year-old left-hander George Worker and Sinclair provided any stability with a 56-run partnership for the third wicket.
Worker was despatched for 33 in the 28th with the total on 99, with Sinclair sent on his way eight runs later for 31.
Central struggled to put together any partnerships after that, wickets falling regularly as the Otago bowlers slowly but surely strangled the life out of their innings.
Neil Wagner picked up 2-35, while England and Hampshire allrounder Dimitri Mascarenhas picked up 1-28 off his 10 overs.
