Cricket: Wellington battles hard to lose only two wickets

Umpires Gary Baxter and Derek Walker check the light on the pitch. Photo / Getty Images

Auckland's fickle weather tested Wellington's patience on the first day of their Plunket Shield game at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

At stumps, the visitors were 65 for two wickets after 26 overs on a day that started late, finished early and never produced pleasant conditions.

The forecast was for rain and it was something of a bonus that the players were ready to start with only a 15-minute delay. But on cue, the drizzle set in and it wasn't until 1.30pm that play actually started.

Auckland won the toss and invited Wellington to bat on a pitch with a tinge of green. Wellington left out Harry Boam from their 12, while Auckland omitted Colin de Grandhomme.

Chris Martin's opening over promised a torrid time for Wellington openers Cameron Merchant and Stephen Murdoch and his second saw Merchant caught behind for a duck.

Martin and Michael Bates frequently beat the bat but Murdoch and Stuart Rhodes battled their way through the worst of the new ball to add 50 for the second wicket.

Fourth bowler into the attack Jimmy Neesham opened with a nine-ball over but after three wides he lured Rhodes into an edge and Tim McIntosh held a low catch at second slip to dismiss him for 12 off 61 balls.

When bad light halted play at 3.41pm, Murdoch was on 37 off 73 balls with just one four and Grant Elliott was on 10. Martin's eight overs had produced one wicket for 11 runs. Play was called off at 5.35pm and will resume at 10am today.

At Napier, Central Districts and Northern Districts, who lie first and second on the Plunket Shield table, started late and played just 8.2 overs before rain ended play for the day. In that time ND reached 21 for one, with BJ Watling out for six.

At Rangiora, play started at 4.30pm. Canterbury won the toss and put Otago in to bat. By stumps Canterbury had already knocked the top off the Otago innings as former international Aaron Redmond, Shaun Haig and Neil Broom all departed cheaply before Darren Broom added to his side's misery by being run out.

Otago were teetering at 44 for four before skipper Craig Cumming provided a steadying hand to score 42 not in 143 minutes of watchful defence and he will take guard today at 69 for four, with Derek de Boorder at the other end on 10.