Nov 27, 2023

You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image. Rising Otago star Zac Cumming started the national men’s provincial A tournament with a bang yesterday. Cumming grabbed a rare six-wicket T20 bag at Owen Delany Park’s lower ground in Taupo. The young legspinner snared six for 15 off four overs but could not prevent Otago A slipping to a 41-run loss to Wellington A. Cumming, son of former Black Caps opener Craig and younger brother of Otago Volts batter Jacob, has just finished his time at Otago Boys’ High School and is embarking on what could be a fruitful career in the sport. He already has a senior club cricket century for University-Grange, and has played for New Zealand at under-19 level. Wellington A elected to bat yesterday and leaped to 90 for one as Jakob Bhula (54 off 40) and Chander Ravi (40 off 31) looked comfortable. Cumming removed both of them before tearing through the middle order, the capital side finishing on 165 for nine. Jarrod McKay took two for 35 for Otago A. The southerners’ chase never got going, and they were dismissed for 124 in the 17th over. Cam Jackson top-scored with 20, both Jake Gibson and Hunter Kindley smote 19 off 13 balls, and Cumming completed a handy double with 18 off seven balls, including two sixes. Former Albion club cricketer Michael Snedden took three for 34 for Wellington A. In the afternoon round, Otago rattled up an imposing score of 202 for four against Auckland A at the upper ground in Taupo. Jacob Cumming scored 35 off 30 balls as he and Jake Gibson added 93 for the first wicket. Gibson cranked up the pace, blasting 61 off 31, including six fours and four sixes, and there were handy contributions from Kindley (35 off 18), Jamal Todd (32 off 25) and Beckham Wheeler-Greenall (21 not out off 17). Otago A then bundled Auckland A out for 137 to win by 64 runs. Cumming took three for 26 to finish with nine wickets for the day while Andrew Hazeldine grabbed three for 28. Cole Briggs (33), Quinn Sunde (28) and Jock McKenzie (33) all made starts before getting out but were the only Auckland batters to chalk up double figures.