Northland's accurate bowling attack, led by a fantastic six-wicket haul by Kevin Forde, produced a six-wicket win over Auckland in the Bob Cunis Memorial Trophy.
Auckland lost the toss on Sunday and were put into bat on the same Cobham Oval deck that had yielded a Harry Darkins century inclub cricket the previous day, but the visitors were never allowed to settle.
The Northland bowlers took advantage of some early movement with the new ball to wreak havoc with Auckland's top order and had them reeling at 5 for 50.
A lower order recovery saw them post 145 before being dismissed but Darkins, who played a part in the bowling effort, said the Auckland batsmen were unable to create any momentum.
"It was just one of those really good bowling days where bowlers at both ends bowled the right lengths and in the right areas and the batsmen couldn't get us away," he said.
While Forde was the obvious star, all the other bowlers maintained pressure as skipper Neal Parlane rotated the attack.
Forde's 6-34 off 10 overs was one of his best for Northland and featured a couple of sharp catches by new keeper Rory Christopherson. The Kaipara Flats keeper also stumped Dean Bartlett off the bowling of Mike O'Flaherty, who replaced Dewayne Bowden - a late withdrawal from the Northland side.
Cody Andrews also finished with 2-39 off his nine overs but it was a good team effort and a big change from the whipping that the bowlers took at the hands of Counties Manukau in their first hit-out last weekend.
Captain Neal Parlane had wanted his young players to step up and that's just what he got from young openers Bradley Kneebone (30) and Henry Cooper (65), who put on 90 runs for the first wicket to take any chance of a win away from Auckland.
"It was exactly what I was after and it wasn't easy out there, there's not many quicker bowlers than Lochie Ferguson around, so they had to really apply themselves," Parlane said.
Michael Parlane (23no) came in to steer the side to a six-wicket win and Neal Parlane is hopeful that the Auckland match will become a regular pre-season fixture.
"It was a good game for us and for Auckland. Their coaches were happy with their hit-out although it didn't go their way and there's every chance that this will become a yearly event once again," he said.
