Cricket: Auckland showing way after six-wicket victory

After ND declared yesterday to set Otago an imposing total of 502, the match looked all but decided. Photo / Thinkstock

Auckland have taken top spot on the Plunket Shield domestic cricket table after making it two-from-two with a win over Wellington yesterday.

After edging Northern Districts by five wickets in the competition's first round in October, Auckland backed up by completing a six-wicket win at the Basin Reserve in the capital.

The victory was much more straightforward than any result appeared to be heading into the fourth day, with Wellington resuming on 83-3 and holding a 77-run lead.

But Stephen Murdoch's dismissal early on the final morning triggered a collapse that saw the hosts lose their last seven wickets for just 39 runs.

Michael Bates initiated the downfall by getting Murdoch caught behind for 37, picking up the wicket of Tom Blundell in his next over before clean-bowling Henry Walsh to reduce Wellington to 116-6.

The Firebirds' tail offered little resistance as Carl Cachopa picked up three quick wickets, seeing Wellington fall to a paltry 133 all out.

The Auckland batsmen had few problems in chasing down their target of 128, with Colin Munro smashing 59 from 49 balls to ensure the match was over in a hurry.

Mark Gillespie gave Donovan Grobbelaar a decent workout with short deliveries but he and captain Rob Nicol were still able to see Auckland home comfortably.

Otago fell just short of completing a phenomenal chase against Northern Districts, losing a heart-breaker by 27 runs at University Oval in Dunedin.

After ND declared yesterday to set Otago an imposing total of 502, the match looked all but decided.

But, after resuming on 143-2, Otago came much closer than many would have expected, with Michael Bracewell (147) and Mark Craig (104) seeing their side to an admirable 474 all out, the third-highest fourth-innings total in New Zealand cricket's domestic history.

Canterbury completed a fairly comfortable victory over Central Districts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Canterbury bowler Logan van Beek snared four wickets as the Stags were dismissed for 274, falling 102 runs short of their target.