The issue for Otago in their State Championship match with Canterbury at Molyneux Park in Alexandra was obvious from the outset.

Otago were 75/5 and desperately needing a substantial partnershp to give their attack something to bowl at in the fourth and final innings of the game.

Jordan Sheed did score a valuable and neat 53 but with only 114 to chase for victory, Canterbury did it with ease, losing only one wicket and therefore winning outright by nine wickets.

Otago have almost without exception fared worse in their second innings of matches this season than the first, and today was no exception as Canterbury dismissed them for a paltry 131. Only Sheed and Craig Pryor (24) producing anything of any substance.

The Canterbury attack never really looked venomous but Wade Cornelius in getting six for 30 from 16 overs bowled line and length and deserved his figures. He had match figures of 10 for 66.

Chris Harris took three for 29 from 19 overs while Ryan Burson took one for 41 from 12 overs.

Canterbury with only 114 to get for victory made no race of it and got there with nine wickets in hand, Robbie Frew scoring a patient but assertive 73 not out. Otago's only wicket taker was Pryor with one for 11.

Canterbury deserved to win the match against an Otago side which has batted abysmally for most of the season and because of this has recorded its eighth successive loss in State Championship matches.

If anything the Otago bowling looked slightly better than Canterbury's - Kerry Walmsley bowled with little good fortune while David Sewell collected a bag of seven wickets in the first innings.

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