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Kruger Van Wyk of Canterbury - Source: Photosport -
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Otago succumbed to the inevitable late on Monday in their Plunket Shield four-day cricket match in Queenstown, Canterbury's 158-run victory leapfrogging them into third place after eight rounds.
It was a match Canterbury controlled from the outset, taking first innings points after compiling 315 in testing conditions then rolling Otago for 221. Otago's bowlers battled with minimal success in Canterbury's second innings, leaving captain Peter Fulton to declare at 340 for five on Sunday to give Otago a challenging target of 435.
Opener Michael Papps was in particularly punishing form for Canterbury, backing up a well-paced 83 in the first innings with his 18th first class century in the second, his 122 taking over five hours and including 16 fours.
Otago battled gamely on Monday, but only captain and opener Craig Cumming with 82, backed up by a gritty 56 from Sam Wells lower down the order, managed to stick around for any length of time and Otago were all out for 276 shortly after tea.
Todd Astle was the pick of the Canterbury bowlers on Monday, picking up his maiden first class five-wicket bag with 5-58 from his 22 overs.
The win moves Canterbury into third place on the Plunket Shield table with 28 points, two ahead of Otago, and four behind second-placed Central Districts.
