Cricket: Diamanti rips Canterbury apart for five

Central Districts allrounder Brendon Diamanti continued his stellar season with a five-wicket haul against Canterbury in their State Championship match at Rangiora today.

At stumps on the second day, competition leaders Central were 130 for three, chasing Canterbury's imposing 543 all out.

Resuming today at 388 for five overnight, Canterbury managed to add only another seven runs before centurion Johann Myburgh became Diamanti's fifth victim, caught by Central captain Mathew Sinclair for 107.

Diamanti, called up earlier this year to the Black Caps for the Chapell-Hadlee series against Australia, finished the day with the excellent figures of 5-32 off 10 overs for his third first-class five-wicket bag.

The flat Rangiora surface made Central's bowlers work hard for their wickets.

Three Canterbury batsmen topped 100, including guest Indian batsman Rahul Dravid with 102, and another - Kruger van Wyk - fell eight runs short.

After toiling without reward yesterday, Central's guest Indian legspinner, Amit Mishra, picked up three wickets today to finish with figures of three for 155 off 48.2 overs.

Competition tailenders Canterbury also found wickets hard to come by, but picked up two late scalps as stumps closed in today.

After losing Peter Ingram for 43 off 56 balls with the total on 76, Canterbury consolidated and looked comfortable at 127 for one before George Worker was caught behind off the bowling of Andy Ellis for 50.

It was Worker's second first-class half century and came off 92 balls, including seven fours.

Mitchell McClenagan disappeared just three runs later, to another tidy catch by van Wyk behind the stumps, this time off legspinner Todd Astle.

- NZPA