Aldridge hits CD for six with ball

  Northern Districts continued their strong start to the Plunket Shield yesterday  taking first innings points against Central Districts at Cobham Oval on the back of great performances from their opening bowlers Graeme Aldridge and Trent Boult.
Central had no answer to the twin-pronged attack on a lively wicket - which produced 16 wickets on the first day of the four-day match - with Aldridge finishing with  6-49 runs, while Boult took  4-15 - including the prize wickets of Ross Taylor and Matthew Sinclair.
"We knew the wicket was going to be helpful to us when we went out in the morning, so we were trying our best to cash in on it and that's what we did," Aldridge said.
The Central Districts batting line-up knew it was a bad toss to lose and tried to be positive from the outset but the approach quickly backfired on them.
"We bowled well on the wicket and they adopted the plan they thought was best for them.
"Tthey decided to be positive and go for their shots and there's two ways that can go, you can look quite good or you can fall on your own sword," Aldridge added.
Central lost wickets steadily to be all out just before lunch for a paltry score of 94 in 33.5 overs.
 Black Cap Ross Taylor top-scored with 29 runs, including five boundaries until he was dismissed by Boult, who caught a bullet-like straight drive at head height off his own bowling.
Michael Mason gave Central some hope when they took to the field, with a ripping second over in his opening spell.
He had Michael Parlane caught behind for two off the first ball before trapping Anton Devcich off the final ball of the over for a duck.
Northern captain James Marshall calmed the rocking ship, joining opener Brad Wilson in the middle and the pair fashioned a gritty partnership of 61 before the skipper became Mason's third victim, departing for an invaluable 30.
Kane Williamson and Peter McGlashan both got starts before being dismissed and it was up to veteran all rounder Joe Yovich (30no) and Boult's older brother Jono (33no), to steer Northern to 184-6 at stumps.
If Northern were nervous about going into the game without their top pacemen Tim Southee and Brent Arnel, with both on national duties, their nerves were quickly settled with their opening bowler's form.
Boult confirmed he will be a future star for the side, with the 19-year-old returning from an injury that kept him out of the game at the end of last season.
Aldridge at 32, showed he also has plenty more to offer. After debuting for the Knights in 1998/99 he spent the first five or six seasons competing for his position with bowlers like Simon Doull, Alex Tait, Ian Butler and Darryl Tuffey.
At the end of the 2004/05 season, Aldridge's position in the team was settled after he took 30 wickets in the State Shield competition, a record that still stands.
"My place was secure after that but now now I've got all these young guys champing at my heels, so things have come a full circle but that's good for the team and good for Northern Districts," Aldridge said.