Cricket: Hopes up as Stags chase victory

Ajaz Patel in action for Central Stags against Canterbury.

It's doable, if you ask Ajaz Patel as the Central Districts Stags chase their first first-class victory this summer today in Nelson.

"I definitely think it is while we have both the guys at the batting crease," said the Devon Hotel-sponsored Stags spinner who took 6-152 yesterday on day three of their four-day Plunket Shield match against the Canterbury Kings at Saxton Oval.

"We just need to up the ante and take wickets into the last session so if we can do that we'll chase it down," said the 27-year-old as CD require 264 runs to win with nine wickets in hand.

Opener Ben Smith, 65 not out, and Greg Hay, 34 not out at first drop, will resume CD's innings this morning at 1-112 but with only 42 overs remaining in their second dig it'll have a one-day match feel about it.

Patel, who claimed his third first-class five-wicket bag, felt the William Young-captained side had the calibre of batsmen to do the job.

With the Kings 171-3 overnight and eyeing the box seat things looked ominous but Patel delivered with lead seamer Seth Rance out with a calf injury early on day one.

"Hammer [team manager Lance Hamilton] gave us a talk this morning on how moments like that make or break you so we had to dig deep and show some character."

Self effacingly Patel said everyone from bowlers to fielders did the job in their third consecutive day on the field. While his haul wasn't a milestone, Patel found the conditions made it a slog.

"It's probably not the easiest one [five-wicket bag] I got but it was tough work so you tend to cherish those a little more, don't you?"

He bowled twice as many overs but felt seamers ran hard while spinners ambled.