Mark Richardson had a point to make when, without a backward glance, he agreed to stumps being drawn early on the final day of Otago’s Shell Trophy match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve, though he was six runs from a tidy century
Steve McMorran15-Feb-2001Mark Richardson had a point to make when, without a backward glance, he agreed to stumps being drawn early on the final day of Otago’s Shell Trophy match against Wellington at the Basin Reserve, though he was six runs from a tidy century.It was tea and the match was meandering … had been for some time in muggy conditions as a siesta-like stupor had overtaken the day and the game. By its end, only mad dogs and Englishmen would have persisted in the forlorn pursuit of a result.Otago were 241/1 and had no chance of knocking off the massive target of 487 which Wellington had placed before them 20 overs before stumps on the third day … had long since given up trying.And Wellington had already achieved their objective from a match between teams placed first and second on the Trophy table. They had two first innings points and had lost all hope of taking the nine wickets which would have given them outright victory.Yet most players in Richardson’s position would have brought everyone back for a few overs after tea till he could take his score, which was then 94, on to 100 to join his opening partner Matt Horne and Wellington’s Richard Jones and Stephen Mather among the centurymakers in the match. It was his right and centuries aren’t that easy to come by that, even in a lost cause, they can be frivilously sacrificed.But Richardson was more than willing to cut his own innings short and to refuse the milestone, so near, which could only embellish his first-class record. He didn’t do so lightly – in fact he did so with clear and careful predetermination. He allowed his innings to end at 94 because he wanted to make a point.”It was my little statement,” the New Zealand Test opener said.”There’s always a lot of talk about 100s and to me a lot of it is misplaced. To me the game’s about scoring runs and doing the job and that’s what I did today – I did a job. We’d been totally batted out of the game but we had to bat through the day and that’s what I set out to do. To me 94 is 94 and I’m not complaining.”All that talk about conversion rates and 100s is misinformed. The simple fact was we’d done what was required of us today and that’s all that matters.”Richardson’s was not a spectacular innings by any means. He carried his bat throughout the Otago second innings, for 350 minutes and 91 overs; he faced 273 balls and despatched 13 of them for fours. His Test opening partner Matt Horne, laying claim to a return to that position, batted more positively in reaching 110 in 274 minutes with 18 fours – his century in 268 minutes, from 208 balls.The pair put on 192 in 274 minutes for Otago’s first wicket in a stand which ensured their team could not lose and Wellington could not win. It was essential to Wellington’s chances of winning that they removed the Otago openers before lunch today and exposed their middle order. Their failure to do so condemned the match to an early finish and to a draw.There was still much to admire in Horne’s innings. He gave no chances till he was out, lbw to Matthew Walker, in the 72nd over and he played the best of his wide repertoire of shots – a range of drives wide of point, through cover, mid off and mid on.There was also a great deal that was impressive in the supportive diligence of Richardson and once again the debate arose over the Otago opener’s suitability for a place not only in New Zealand’s Test side but in their one-day 11.It has begun to be reasoned that New Zealand might benefit from the selection of a player of Richardson’s type – one who could presume to bat through 50 overs and act as the rock of any innings.But Richardson was willing to make arguments against his own selection today – including the observation that there was not yet the philosophy in New Zealand one-day cricket that such a player was required.Richardson said he would be comfortable playing the role of the innings anchor and could expect on occasions to bat through and innings and to be 120 not out at its end.But he couldn’t play the dasher’s role, hitting the ball over the inner in the first 15 overs, if that was suddenly expected of him. He wasn’t that sort of player, nor was his fielding of a standard that was entirely suited to international one-day play. He would have to be hidden in the field, he said, and that was seldom possible.”Till they want a guy who might not whack it but who might be an accumulator, I’m not really in with a chance,” Richardson said. “They’re not really looking for that sort of player at the moment so it’s not an issue for me.”I also realise my fielding’s not up to the standard they need and I’d have to be hidden in the field which you can’t really do. I’m working hard to improve it but I’m no Jonty Rhodes. I’m more of a draughthorse.”Richardson will concentrate instead on making his runs and making his statements, ready to answer any call made on him.And Horne, to the great satisfaction of New Zealand’s selectors, made his own mini-statement today and though this match produced no result, it produced its share of food for thought.