CRICKET - History made at Cobham Oval

NO SOONER had the race to become the first player to score 100 first class runs at Cobham Oval been decided than the second race started: The one to score the fastest century on the plush new Whangarei cricketing oval.
Daniel Flynn, the 23-year-old Rotorua-born batsman, won the first race with a majestic 143-run innings that anchored Northern Districts' 50-run victory over Wellington in a State Shield one-day game yesterday.
Just quietly, it might be a while before anyone beats him for the pace of his batting yesterday too. It will definitely be a while before it sees another innings quite so disciplined.
But after waiting a season and a bit since the new Cobham Oval was opened last year, and five years since the last first class century was scored in Whangarei, Flynn wrote himself into the history books in fine style on a batter-friendly track that produced 548 runs.
Flynn scored a career-high 143 in a record-breaking partnership with BJ Watling, a 240-run effort that helped ND wipe the floor with Wellington. It would have taken a tragedy of armageddon proportions to wipe the smile off Flynn's face afterwards. He was one happy camper.
"I loved it, it just felt right. The way BJ [Watling] and myself worked and ran the singles and twos I think made the big difference. We went something like 16 overs without a boundary but still scored at something like five runs an over," Flynn said.
"On this ground [Cobham Oval] it is all about running well and pushing the twos. We spoke about doing that and I think did exactly that out there and really put the pressure on by scoring a big total," he said. "That's my first one-day tonne, and it feels quite satisfying."
It was a win that washed away the memory of a gut-wrenching loss three days beforehand to Central Districts. It was also their first one-day win this season. Their last State Shield success was a five-wicket win over Canterbury in Whangarei last season.
It was also a dramatic four-day turnaround. ND were dismissed for 135 at Cobham Oval on Wednesday in a dismal batting effort. This was a transformation of Floyd Landis proportions.
For Watling his century yesterday (108 runs) was his second one-ay tonne but one of the more satisfying efforts with the willow in hand. A soft dismissal earlier in the week had left him frustrated.
"It was a good day for me, we talked about running well between the wickets and working hard for our runs and I think we did that. I felt pretty buggered at the end of it but good at the same time, especially after the way things went in the game earlier this week," Watling said.
"It was pretty embarrassing that performance [against CD], it can happen in cricket, but it doesn't make it any easier to live with so it is good to get a win and good to have a win like this one. I think that CD game is gone for good, it feels like we have turned a corner," he said.
After losing opener Nic Horsely early, ND never missed a beat, racing to 299 in the first innings. A late flurry of wickets cost ND the chance of surging past the 300-run milestone. Wellington tried to get a flier by pushing Chris Nevin and Jesse Ryder to open the innings.
But opening bowler Tim Southee went for eight runs from his first over then replied with a wicket maiden, trapping Nevin, and never relinquished the upper hand from then on. He grabbed a four-wicket bag, banking his best one-day bowling figures at this level.
His spell set the tone for the second innings. ND fielded with real purpose, the bowling was tight and disciplined.
ND meet Canterbury in round four of the State Shield in Hamilton on Wednesday.
* THE STATS
The record breakers: BJ Watling and Daniel Flynn
Second wicket partnership: 240 runs
* Highest second wicket partnership for Northern Districts (previously 146 held by brothers Michael and Neal Parlane 2000/01).
*Highest second wicket partnership for Northern Districts v Wellington (set by M and N Parlane 2000/01)
BJ Watling 108
*His highest one day score (previous 116) and second one-day century for ND (50 in 86 balls, 100 in 139 balls, 3 fours).
Daniel Flynn 143
*His highest one day score (previous 82) and first one-day century for ND (50 in 43 balls, 100 in 93 balls, 8 fours)