KEY POINTS:
A cricketing battle of attrition continued to play itself out as Central Districts gained the upper hand over Wellington yesterday.
The teams enter the final day of the four-day State Championship fixture at the Basin Reserve today with both resigned to collecting first innings points at best. Any prospects of an outright result diminished when rain severely cut into the first day.
By the close Wellington had crawled to 261 for five in pursuit of Central Districts' first innings of 523, an imposing target built around classy centuries by Mathew Sinclair and Bevan Griggs. Wellington
captain Matthew Bell did best to make 75 while occupying the crease for five hours while Grant Elliott and Neal Parlane departed after being well set on 63 and 54 respectively. Their dwindling hopes suffered a blow in the final over of the day when Brent
Hefford dismissed Graham Napier for 20, leaving Luke Woodcock to resume today on 22 with Chris Nevin.
Earlier, Wellington did a good job to end Central Districts' first innings after the visitors had resumed on 452 for five. Captain Sinclair was unable to add to his overnight score of 164, losing his wicket to the last ball of the first over of the day delivered by fast bowler Andrew Lamb. That meant Sinclair's stand for the sixth wicket with Griggs realised 235 runs, a Central Districts record against allcomers, surpassing the 220 scored by Matthew Toynbee and
Ian Smith against Auckland in 1982-83.
Griggs finished with a career-best 143 after adding just five runs to his overnight tally. Teenage allrounder Harry Boam then got stuck into the tail, picking up three for eight to end with figures of three for 56 off 23.3 overs on debut.
- NZPA
