Cricket: Aces go high as Styris shines

Reece Young, of Auckland, catches Northern Districts' James Marshall yesterday. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Scott Styris starred with bat and ball as Auckland put themselves in the frame for the Twenty20 final with an 18-run victory over Northern Districts at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

After losing the toss, the Aucklanders were put in to bat and scored 154 with Styris making 59. Northern replied with 136 for nine as Styris took three wickets for 15 and Ronnie Hira four for 13.

The win moves Auckland to 20 points in the HRV Cup, level with Otago and Central Districts, who both lost their matches yesterday.

When Lou Vincent and Martin Guptill strode out to begin the Auckland innings, they were back on the ground where they had combined for a record 149-run partnership. The contrast could not have been more stark.

Guptill played Brent Arnel's first ball to Tillakaratne Dilshan at backward point and called for a run. Vincent sprinted, but Dilshan's throw hit the stumps and Auckland had lost a wicket without scoring a run.

That setback rather stalled the innings. Ravi Bopara fell to a brilliant catch by Anton Devcich diving forward at deep square leg and when Guptill, on 27, mistimed a return catch to Daniel Vettori, Auckland had taken eight overs to reach 50 for three.

It was soon 59 for four when Daniel Flynn dived horizontally to catch Gareth Hopkins at midwicket off Vettori, who finished with two for 17.

Styris smote 59 with a mixture of conventional and unconventional shots bringing five fours and two sixes. Colin de Grandhomme contributed a useful 24. But 154 looked gettable.

ND, perhaps with an eye on the clouds, raced to 43 off four overs from Michael Bates and Daryl Tuffey. But Styris' second ball got Dilshan for 26 off 19 balls including four fours and a six.

The all-rounder also caught Peter McGlashan off his own bowling and with Vettori caught at the wicket off De Grandhomme and Devcich caught off a towering mishit, Northern were 56 for four in the ninth over. Styris finished with three for 15 off four overs.

It was 67 for five when BJ Watling missed a sweep off Hira and was bowled. Flynn tried to hit Hira for six and was caught at long-on. With eight overs to go Northern still needed 76.

The wickets tumbled as Hira's left-arm spin bagged four for 13 before he left the field with a knee injury.

By then the job was done.