A pair of Otago attackers, Warren McSkimming and Andrew Hore, have proved to be the difference between the potentially top and almost certainly bottom team going into round seven of the Shell Trophy.

Remarkably, all six Canterbury men out today failed to score. McSkimming removed five of them.

The delighted all-rounder took a career best 6-39 with his right arm fast medium attacking bowling to dismiss Canterbury for 207 all out this morning. They added just nine runs losing four wickets, three to the Ranfurly-born 21-year-old, at the cost of just one run.

He added the wickets of Canterbury's Gary Stead and Jarrod Englefield before the close to complete a great day for him, but a miserable one for Canterbury.

Otago had declared earlier shortly after tea at 255/6, 377 ahead.

Hore batted just as his captain, Matt Horne, who got a golden duck, would have liked, smacking 77 in 89 balls, with 15 fours, before being bowled by a big turner from Aaron Redmond.

Chris Gaffaney also did the job for Otago, scoring 63 before retiring hurt with a pinched nerve in his hip. He added 135 off 210 balls for the fourth wicket with the dominating Hore to put Otago out of sight.

McSkimming, a second season Otago player, looked a class prospect. He leads Otago's wicket taking charts with 19, and at one stage had 5-2 off 43 balls in the day. He finished with 2-15 off six overs, or, more impressively, 5-16 off 11.5 overall.

"Wozza", is fluent in what coach Dennis Aberhart calls "farmer talk," and indeed comes from a close farming family. His father has played for Otago 'B'. McSkimming may be unavailable for Otago's potentially crucial match against Northern Districts starting on February 17th as he is due to be best man at his brother's wedding.

Now Dunedin based, but from the coldest place in New Zealand, Oturehua near Ranfurly, McSkimming told CricInfo, "I was rapped to get a five for. I wouldn't say my pace has increased, but I've been working on a couple of things in the last couple of games and they're coming right for me now."

"The pitch is pretty flat, but a couple of them have popped and kept low. Tomorrow we've just got to bowl them out. We're going to bowl our guts out."

"It's really dry and Paul (Wiseman's) a pretty good bowler as you know and it probably will turn into a turner."

He bowls off a long run, with a slight stutter near the end, but has a fast arm action and has got quicker as the season has gone on.

Coach Aberhart felt Canterbury batted too negatively yesterday, but believes Otago are in position for a win, although "we've got a bit of work to do."

The Auckland team popped by to the 1974 Commonwealth Games QEII Stadium, for a swim and to watch their next opponents, Otago, who they meet at Carisbrook on Tuesday.

Former New Zealand captain, Lee Germon, was also in attendance, talking to Otago coach Dennis Aberhart, possibly about next season's Shell Cup campaign.

However, it is the new strike bowler (McSkimming) and 'new' leading batsman (Hore) that will be congratulated most warmly by new Otago coach Aberhart, as his team head for the victory tomorrow that will take them to the top of the Shell Trophy table.A pair of Otago attackers, Warren McSkimming and Andrew Hore, have proved to be the difference between the potentially top and almost certainly bottom team going into round seven of the Shell Trophy.

Remarkably, all six Canterbury men out today failed to score. McSkimming removed five of them.

The delighted all-rounder took a career best 6-39 with his right arm fast medium attacking bowling to dismiss Canterbury for 207 all out this morning. They added just nine runs losing four wickets, three to the Ranfurly-born 21-year-old, at the cost of just one run.

He added the wickets of Canterbury's Gary Stead and Jarrod Englefield before the close to complete a great day for him, but a miserable one for Canterbury.

Otago had declared earlier shortly after tea at 255/6, 377 ahead.

Hore batted just as his captain, Matt Horne, who got a golden duck, would have liked, smacking 77 in 89 balls, with 15 fours, before being bowled by a big turner from Aaron Redmond.

Chris Gaffaney also did the job for Otago, scoring 63 before retiring hurt with a pinched nerve in his hip. He added 135 off 210 balls for the fourth wicket with the dominating Hore to put Otago out of sight.

McSkimming, a second season Otago player, looked a class prospect. He leads Otago's wicket taking charts with 19, and at one stage had 5-2 off 43 balls in the day. He finished with 2-15 off six overs, or, more impressively, 5-16 off 11.5 overall.

"Wozza", is fluent in what coach Dennis Aberhart calls "farmer talk," and indeed comes from a close farming family. His father has played for Otago 'B'. McSkimming may be unavailable for Otago's potentially crucial match against Northern Districts starting on February 17th as he is due to be best man at his brother's wedding.

Now Dunedin based, but from the coldest place in New Zealand, Oturehua near Ranfurly, McSkimming told CricInfo, "I was wrapped to get a five for. I wouldn't say my pace has increased, but I've been working on a couple of things in the last couple of games and they're coming right for me now."

"The pitch is pretty flat, but a couple of them have popped and kept low. Tomorrow we've just got to bowl them out. We're going to bowl our guts out."

"It's really dry and Paul (Wiseman's) a pretty good bowler as you know and it probably will turn into a turner."

He bowls off a long run, with a slight stutter near the end, but has a fast arm action and has got quicker as the season has gone on.

Coach Aberhart felt Canterbury batted too negatively yesterday, but believes Otago are in position for a win, although "we've got a bit of work to do."

The Auckland team popped by to the 1974 Commonwealth Games QEII Stadium, for a swim and to watch their next opponents, Otago, who they meet at Carisbrook on Tuesday.

Former New Zealand captain, Lee Germon, was also in attendance, talking to Otago coach Dennis Aberhart, possibly about next season's Shell Cup campaign.

However, it is the new strike bowler (McSkimming) and 'new' leading batsman (Hore) that will be congratulated most warmly by new Otago coach Aberhart, as his team head for the victory tomorrow that will take them to the top of the Shell Trophy table.

© CricInfo