A tight all-round performance from an inexperienced Canterbury team against Otago today showed the missing stars the competitiveness which they seem to lack currently
Matthew Appleby01-Feb-2001A tight all-round performance from an inexperienced Canterbury team against Otago today showed the missing stars the competitiveness which they seem to lack currently.But it was Andrew Hore who was the outstanding player of the day, hitting a second career hundred. He brought up his century in 141 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes, to make it consecutive tons at Christchurch’s Village Green.He fell seven balls later, without addition, to a spectacular overhead snatch on the third man boundary by Aaron Redmond, which gave Wade Cornelius his maiden Trophy wicket. The personable fast bowler later spoke modestly about the milestone, remarking, “good catch, wasn’t it?”Eager fielding and accurate bowling from the five bowlers used, who are all 23 or under, kept a strong Otago eleven subdued for large parts of a bright and sunny day at the QEII ground.If Matt Horne had been dismissed when on zero, having been caught by Gareth Hopkins off a Ryan Burson no-ball, the day may have been even better for the home team, who were missing at least seven first-choice players.As it was, Hore was the star man, with 100 exactly, helping Otago to a relatively modest 295/9 off 104 overs at stumps.He told CricInfo after his 174 minute stay, “I batted a lot better today. It was one of my better innings. I’m getting better. I’m 32 this year, so I’m getting on a bit, so I’m determined to get a big hundred before I finish.”Regarding the Otago score he was not as pleased. “We’re pretty disappointed with the total. A lot of batsmen got themselves out through not being patient enough.”On his dismissal, he commented, “it’s a shot I need to put away, if I’m going to get that big hundred.”On the pitch, he remarked, “the way it is, if you can deny the batsman you should be in with a chance. There certainly isn’t a lot of assistance. It’s a battle of patience. You get yourself out.”Injuries and Black Cap duty have affected Canterbury more than any other province this season. Unavailabilities have also been a factor, firstly from returning Black Caps, and now from a disgruntled Warren Wisneski, who was dropped after being the bowling workhorse in the dark days of Canterbury’s pre-Christmas campaign.Hore, who scored his sole century on this ground almost a year ago, used his big hitting style to keep Otago heading towards a total with potential. He hit Carl Anderson out of the attack, with two straight sixes, and also drove strongly for 14 other boundaries.Oamaru born Hore, 31, had played just seven first-class games before this season, but has been ever-present this year, despite having scored only 184 runs at 20.44 before today. He increased his season’s highest from 54, but his career-best remains last year’s bludgeoned 102.His innings differed from that knock in that he was more cultured, more assured, and altogether looking more like a first-class player.He certainly has given his batting a rethink, transforming himself from a hitter to a strokemaker over the last two seasons.”It’s just a case of working hard at your game and sorting out what shots to play and what to leave out. I could have left the one that got me out alone. I didn’t take on the field really.”Hore’s day in the sun concluded with him telling CricInfo “I batted with more control today. Tomorrow we’ll be trying to deny the Canterbury batsmen their shots.”It promises to be another intriguing fine weather day tomorrow for this South Island derby, but today belonged to Canterbury’s young attack, and of course to Otago’s late developer, Andrew Hore, the oldest man playing in the match.