Lives in Cricket No 45 - Brief Candles 2

9 So close of the match, 38 for three became 95 for four, when Glenn returned to the wicket: “The second innings we were in a bit of trouble and I had a really good partnership with Selwyn Blackmore. He was great to bat with. We had played through the grades together. I felt in control at all times. I am not a big stroke-maker but like the ball coming on to work it around. I love the cut shot and drive. It’s fair to say I like the off side. I felt a hundred was mine.” Nemesis approached … “Suddenly I saw myself on 96. Looking back I think I froze a bit. Otago had just taken the new ball. All I was thinking (rather stupidly) was just one shot and I have it, when before everything was about playing the ball on its merits. I tried to cut one that was far too close and played it on.” Ninety-six with 11 fours off 151 balls in 193 minutes. Glenn and Blackmore added 145 before Blackmore was caught at the wicket for 102 - the second and final century of his first-class career. The score had advanced to 286 before Glenn was seventh out, dismissed by recent Test bowler Robert Kennedy. Eventually Wellington were all out for 317, leaving Otago 311 to win in something like four sessions; they duly reached their target for the loss of seven wickets, to inflict the fifth defeat on Wellington in their seven Shell Trophy matches in the season so far. Glenn was given a bowl near the end, and finished with the entirely respectable figures of 2.3-1-3-0. But that is hardly his abiding memory of the game. First he had had to contend with his reaction to being dismissed four runs short of a debut century. “I was distraught. I remember walking off and looking at my mates who had taxied to the ground (during work hours) to see me get it, and being so disappointed. I sat in the changing room for a while and finally looked Glenn Wilkinson in action and at rest during his successful season with Gomersal in 1998.