Umpire Billy Bowden could be excused for déja vu moments over the last two and a half days whilst standing on Eden Park’s outer oval.
In February 1999 Bowden was umpiring in the Shell Trophy (now Plunket Shield) at the same ground (now Kennards Hire Community Oval) when left-arm paceman Shayne O’Connor took a bag in each innings to help his Otago side beat Auckland.
Today it happened again — only this time it was Shayne’s 21-year-old son Thomas taking a bag in each innings with his left-arm pace to help his Otago side beat Auckland.
Oh, and taking Otago’s seventh best all-time match figures in the process — in just his fourth match.
Chip off the old block.
Day three, bag number two | MBUTCHER
O’Connor senior took match figures of 12/122 (6/58 and 6/64) in that 1998/99 summer, his son going one-up on him with 13/85 (7/58 and 6/27) in Otago’s nine-wicket win that was completed with more than a day to spare this afternoon.
Most wickets in f-c match for Otago
— Andrew (@shortflyslip) March 11, 2026
15-94 FH Cooke 1882/83
15-104 SL Boock 1989/90
15-203 AM Moir 1953/54
14-93 RC Torrance 1908/09
14-103 AD Downes 1893/94
14-126 AM Moir 1951/52
13-85 TC O'Connor 2025/26
13-111 AD Downes v HB 1901/02
13-144 SL Boock v ND 1980/81
The result tightens an already tight race for the 2026 Plunket Shield, catapulting Otago into third spot from fifth on the volatile table.
#PLUNKETSHIELD Meet Otago's Tom O'Connor. pic.twitter.com/PkMWc7okFF
— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 11, 2026
One sixth-round match, between the Wellington Firebirds and Canterbury, is still in progress at the Cello Basin Reserve; and looks set to be the only game to go the distance — after the by-now world famous Brett Randell speccy (7/25, including a world record five wickets in five balls) set up a 20-point innings victory for the Central Stags over Northern Districts earlier this week in Napier.
And now this.
O’Connor junior’s brilliance with the ball bookended a Max Chu century (104, batting down at eight in Otago's first innings) as the visitors hit their straps to snaffle 19 of the maximum 20 points from the contest, while the Auckland Aces sloped away with just five points from their first innings efforts.
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The Aces had been the championship leader just two games ago.
Now they find themselves in third spot and 14 points behind current leader Northern, with just two rounds to play and 40 points left.
Otago heads home to Dunedin now for two intriguing matches against Northern and then the Firebirds (currently the only team languishing winless on the table).
The southerners didn’t win a game throughout the one-day Ford Trophy this season, and finished second-to-last in the Super Smash.
But if they keep playing their cards right at the business end of the championship, they could yet be lifting the Plunket Shield for the first time after a somewhat notorious 39-year wait.
“A win at this stage of the competition is very important, and to have it so close and coming down to the last few games is awesome,” said Tom O’Connor as the momentous result sunk in.
He did enjoy finishing off the Aces himself — after a spell of wet weather around lunchtime, and an early tea.
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The weather obliged and left his batters with a tame second innings chase of just 35 for the win.
“I think as the pitch aged a little bit, there was actually a little bit less assistance for the seamers,” he noted.
“But I think the plan still stays the same, as clichéed as it is: try and hit the top of the stumps and play the patience game.
“If you can be in a good area for a long period, then you often get the rewards.”
Seasoned cricket followers have already noted the strong similarity Tom and his father, with their similar bowling style, build, action — and roles.
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Pretty much the only difference is O’Connor senior grew up in Hawke’s Bay, the one that got away from CD when he headed down to Otago early in his career.
Thomas is meanwhile Central Otago born and bred, one of an exciting pack of emerging Otago young guns, in his debut season.
He celebrated his maiden five-for in the first innings with a signature Tussocks salute.
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“Yeah, I think our actions are quite similar, or so people have told me,” he says of his father, "but I think the most important help or advice that Dad's given me is around the mental space.
“Not necessarily anything technical but to enjoy it, go out there, have fun. We're pretty lucky to do a job that we love, so enjoy it — enjoy being around your team, and contributing to it.”
That was not going to be a problem in the wake of this landmark performance in a convincing away victory - Otago's second of the campaign.
His teammates were walking on air with him into the changing sheds for the song and celebrations.
The seventh-best match analysis of all time for Otago — one of New Zealand’s oldest sides. That's going to take quite an effort to top, so early in his career.
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“I do think it'll take a while to sink in but yeah, pretty proud, and pretty pleased.
"You don't play the game for the milestones, but it's pretty special to get one. It's icing on the cake to get a win as well.”
13 wickets in a New Zealand domestic first-class match since 2000.
— Andrew (@shortflyslip) March 11, 2026
14-234 TD Astle Canterbury v Central Districts 2013/14
13-85 TC O'Connor Otago v Auckland 2025/26
13-117 IE O'Brien Wellington v Auckland 2006/07
Shayne O'Connor | PHOTOSPORT
Dad — a former BLACKCAP (19 Tests and 38 ODIs) and now an NZC and ICC Match Referee, may have light-heartedly encouraged him to beat his own career best figures along the course of the last few days.
“There's not a whole heap of banter, to be fair,” says Thomas.
“We get on good and I'm sure he'll be proud, but yeah we have a bit of competition so it’s nice to get one-up on him.
"But I’ve still got plenty to go to catch him. I may have beaten his best match analysis, beaten his best figures, but he's definitely got me on wickets [278 versus 18] — and he's played international cricket, so he's definitely got me there too.”
Plenty of time yet, son.
