Cricket: Early scalps offer Stags edge

CD Stags batsman Doug Bracewell hooks the ball against the Auckland Aces in their Plunket Shield match at McLean Park, Napier, yesterday. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

It's the final fling but the Central Districts Stags are appreciating what it takes to be on the front foot in a first-class match.

The Class of 2015-16 are poised to graduate with flying honours into next summer if the way the Devon Hotel-sponsored Stags have gone about putting the Auckland Aces on a leash at McLean Park, Napier, is anything to go by.

Already reigning champions, the Aces were to resume this morning on 110-6 in their second innings and with a paltry lead of 42 runs on a benign batting strip on the final day of their four-day Budget Rental Plunket Shield match.

The Heinrich Malan-coached CD side were all out for 464 yesterday but not before they had built a sturdy platform through opening batsman Ben Smith who scored 161, including 17 fours and a six, runs to carve up his fifth first-class century in red-ball cricket.

Test cricketer Doug Bracewell helped CD's cause when he chimed in with 75 runs off 83 balls at No7 after taking a five-wicket bag on day one.

"It was a really good day and our batsmen cashed in," said season newbie Navin Patel.

"Dougie Bracewell came out firing and then we [the bowlers] got six wickets," said the Manawatu seamer after claiming 3-30 including the prized wicket of opening batsman Jeet Raval who scored 147 in the first innings.

Lou Ferguson, Tarun Nethula and Dononvan Grobbelar claimed three wickets each for Auckland in CD's first innings.

Patel said the spirits were high among the Stags who were keen to roll the Aces this morning before knuckling down to eclipse the total.

Asked what the secret was to finding some traction with a stubborn wicket, Patel said CD went out with good intent to build consistent pressure.

"We also got the ball to reverse swing a little ... so that gave us some momentum to pick up some early wickets."

Shield leading wicket taker Ajaz patel, Liam Dudding and Blair Tickner claimed a wicket each.

Sporadic rain forecast today is the only likely deterrent ... and, of course, a couple of Aces batsman digging in their toes.