When Matthew Horne won the toss for Otago this morning, and put Northern Districts in to bat in their Shell Trophy match on a beautiful warm summer's day at Carisbrook, many present looked at each other and wondered. The pitch has been made for batting in recent seasons and this current effort of the groundsman Mark Perham looked no exception.

But, the amateur pundits have to bow to the professional knowledge of Horne for it proved to be a most sound decision. Evidently early morning dampness did exist although the pitch is confidently expected to last four days of the game.

Northern Districts provided a slow mornings batting and the score at lunch was 84-2 with Joseph Yovich on 33. James Marshall had scored 20 and Mark Bailey 23 but the Otago bowlers had stuck well to their task especially considering Shayne O'Connor had left the field with a tendon injury in his knee and may not take any further part in the game.

After lunch Northern Districts continued cautiously but failed to make any substantial inroads into the Otago attack and the only real bright spot for them was when Simon Doull clubbed the Otago attack towards the end of the innings and scored a good 38. Yovich was dismissed for 42 and when stumps were drawn ten minutes early because of bad light and drizzle Northern Districts were 223-9. Thirty two extras featured in their total.

Bowling for Otago, Craig Cumming again proved a real bonus with 3-29 from 13 overs. Craig Pryor (3-68 from 23 overs), Kerry Walmsley (2-41 from 21 overs), and Wiseman (1-31 from 19 overs) all bowled well and only ever suffered briefly from the hard hitting of Doull. Warren McSkimming only bowled 13 overs, taking no wicket for 28 and O'Connor, as mentioned before because of injury, a four over spell.

Unforunately after such a brilliantly fine day initially the last half hour saw cloud appear and a poor forecast has been made for tomorrow.

Otago would however be very satisfied on a day when one of their strike bowlers was injured that they managed to have Northern Districts, with whom they share second place on the Shell Tropy table, nine down at stumps.

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