CRICKET - Bowler returns to blitz Northern

IT was so long ago that Ewan Thompson could hardly remember. But while Thompson was busy destroying the Northern Districts middle order to help his Central Districts team score a surprisingly easy State Shield one day victory at Cobham Oval yesterday, there were plenty of onlookers who could remember Thompson.
Because the left arm seam bowler is a former Northland provincial cricketer who left the realms of ND to bust into the first class scene with CD seven years ago and he made sure his debut on the new Cobham Oval will be one the locals will recall for a long time.
Thompson ripped the heart out of the ND batting order to give CD a 84-run win that everybody was expecting to be a solid ND victory when they were set just 220 runs to win. He finished the game with 4-16 off seven overs, by far the pick of the CD attack.
An ugly batting collapse saw ND go from 63-1 to 72-6, a collapse sparked by the bowling of Thompson at first change and a performance that had some wise Northland cricketing heads shaking in disbelief.
"I am a former Northlander and a Northlander still in my heart. I grew up in Warkworth down in Rodney. I played for all the (Northland) age groups and played for Northland while I was still at school and headed down to CD. This is the first time back in Whangarei," Thompson said.
"It was nice to be back here but I wouldn't say it was a motivating factor. I am a professional cricketer these days," he said.
It was a disappointing show with the bat from the ND outfit, especially after they restricted CD in the field, and a batting effort dismissed as bordering on pathetic by ND coach Andy Moles.
There were all out for 135 in the 41st over and are now two down from the first two rounds of the State Shield one-day competition.
ND were lively in the field, a two handed leap from BJ Watling to pluck a rocketing shot over mid wicket from opener Jamie How out of the air (a catch that secured Graeme Aldridge's 100th first class wicket) and Southee throwing the wickets down to dismiss Peter Ingram among the highlights.
At the 25-over mark, CD were 102-4 and ND were fielding with some real energy, with the prospect of chasing a very gettable target.
But the ND run chase never got lift-off despite Nic Horsely and BJ Watling opening at more than six runs an over. When Dan Flynn, James Marshall and Mark Orchard were all sent back to the pavilion in single figures, the game soon turned in CD's favour.
"We weren't sure that we had enough runs but in the end it proved enough, which was pretty good. That's cricket, sometimes you have to be patient and wait for the opportunities," Thompson said.
ND need to regroup quickly for round three of the State Shield. They host Wellington at Cobham Oval on Sunday.