The Otago Volts took less than an hour to complete an easy six-wicket victory over hosts the Auckland Aces at Colin Maiden Park today and register their first points of the Plunket Shield four-day cricket competition.
Resuming on 154 for four in pursuit of 197 for victory on the fourth and final day, overnight batsmen Neil Broom and Derek de Boorder completed the task at hand by knocking off the remaining 43 runs in just 10.4 overs.
Broom, who scored his maiden first-class double century in the Volts' opening round first innings loss to Northern Districts at Queenstown last week, continued his rich vein of form with an unbeaten 50, while de Boorder finished on 31 not out.
The Volts claimed six points for the outright win while the Aces, first innings losers in the first round at the hands of Canterbury, are on the board with two points after securing a six-run first innings lead on Wednesday.
The Volts' South African left-arm quick Neil Wagner, who becomes eligible to play for New Zealand in April next year, set up the win with a rousing bowling performance yesterday, taking six for 50 from 22 overs as the Aces were dismissed for 190 in their second innings.
Day 3: Redmond sets up the Volts for win
Opener Aaron Redmond was in imperious form as the Otago Volts careened to 154 for four at stumps today, chasing 197 for victory on the third day of their Plunket Shield cricket match against the Auckland Aces at Colin Maiden Park.
After the Aces' 298 secured first innings points by a scant six runs, they rolled over in their second innings to be all out for just 190 after resuming at 27 for two this morning.
Volts captain Craig Cumming and Redmond attacked the modest total with gusto, taking just over eight overs to reach 50. Cumming disappeared five runs later, caught by Colin de Grandhomme off Andre Adams, but Redmond belted on.
His run-a-ball 50 included 11 fours, and was well supplemented by Nathan McCullum's quick-fire 26 off 22.
The momentum eased with McCullum's dismissal in the 18th over, but Neil Broom and Redmond regathered to keep the scoreboard ticking over until Redmond was dismissed for 55 in the 26th over.
And although the Aces managed to dislodge Darren Broom cheaply, bowled by Kyle Mills for 11, Neil Broom and Derek de Boorder saw the Volts through safely to stumps, needing just 43 runs tomorrow with six wickets in hand.
Earlier, the Aces dug themselves deep in the mire with some ill-disciplined batting, plummeting to 45 for five as left-arm paceman Neil Wagner ran rampant.
Wagner employed pace and movement to claim the first five wickets and he ended with figures of six for 50, eclipsing his previous best of six for 55 at first class level.
His match figures of 10 for 110 gave him the first 10-wicket bag of his career and enhanced the South African-born speedster's campaign to be selected for New Zealand when he becomes eligible after next year's World Cup.
Nightwatchman Gareth Shaw was an unlikely lynchpin in the Aces' dire second innings, reaching a stubborn 39 off 159 balls before he was the seventh wicket to fall, run out by Darren Broom with the total at 104.
Shaw's innings -- which began last night when he was promoted from No 10 in the order to second drop -- prevented the Aces from crumbling completely as he surpassed his previous highest score of 28 in a stubborn three-hour stint.
Day 2: Adams-inspired Aces scrape first innings points
A patchy start to their second dig took the gloss off the Auckland Aces' hard-fought first innings points win over the Otago Volts at the halfway stage of their Plunket Shield cricket match today.
A fluctuating match at Auckland's Colin Maiden Park saw the Volts walk off with a marginal advantage at stumps on day two after the hosts stuttered to 27 for two.
Earlier in the final session the Aces eked out first innings honours by just six runs after dismissing the Volts for 292,
Resuming at 12 for three, the Volts slumped further to 51 for five before Sam Wells, 74, Ian Butler, 51, Neil Wagner, 41, and Derek de Boorder, 40, carried the southerners to within sight of Auckland's 298.
However, their chase fell painfully short when Nick Beard was trapped lbw by spinner Bhupinder Singh for 22.
Andre Adams did most of the damage with the ball for the Aces, taking five for 94 from 24 overs while veteran new ball pair Daryl Tuffey and Kyle Mills claimed two scalps each.
Wagner, who took four wickets in the Aces' first innings, continued an influential game when he removed openers Jeet Raval and Brad Cachopa cheaply in the closing exchanges to give his team momentum heading into what shapes as a pivotal third day.
Day 1: Solid start for Aces
The Auckland Aces finished the first day of their Plunket Shield four-day cricket match against the Otago Volts on the front foot, racking up nearly 300 runs and picking up three quick wickets before stumps.
The Volts were 12 for three at the close, losing openers Craig Cumming for eight and Aaron Redmond without scoring as they set of in chase of the Aces' 298.
Neil Broom was the third wicket to fall, going for a 16-ball duck on what proved the final ball of the day.
After winning the toss, the Aces made a shaky start at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland, wavering at 45 for three in the 16th over.
Neil Wagner picked up two of the early wickets, snaring opener Jeet Raval for 31 in the 14th over, then trapping Greg Todd in front without scoring five balls later.
But Andrew de Boorder and Colin de Grandhomme dug in for the next 15 overs to put on 65 for the fourth wicket.
De Boorder was dismissed in the 31st over -- caught by brother Derek off Nick Beard for 22 -- but with de Grandhomme in impatient form, the scoreboard kept ticking over.
The right-hander picked up his seventh first-class half-century, his 50 coming off 49 balls and including seven fours. He went on to make 73 off 75, eventually falling in the 42nd over with the Aces 160 for five.
A solid lower order effort, kickstarted by Anaru Kitchen's 48, saw the Aucklanders looking good for for first innings points.
