Cricket: Adams leads Auckland to final

Aucklander Andre Adams was the star of the Shell Cup one-day series when his 28 dismissals set a record for wickets taken.

On the second day of the Shell Trophy match against Central Districts at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland yesterday, the 24-year-old Adams showed he could also be a new star on the first-class stage when he took a career-best five for 64 and ensured that Auckland would play in the final against Northern Districts next week.

Auckland will start the third day with a lead of 134 and nine wickets in hand.

Bowling a brisk medium pace, Adams is not averse to an over or two of offspin and in mid-innings sent down four with a fair degree of skill.

But it was his accuracy and ability to wobble the ball about that snared his victims, Davis Kelly (19), Campbell Furlong (12), Mark Douglas (38), Mark Greatbatch (4) and Andrew Penn (27).

Earlier, Auckland added 21 to their overnight score of 270 for nine before Adams was dismissed for 22, leaving young allrounder Kyle Mills unbeaten on 76.

Mills then opened the Auckland attack and had Joseph Hill out in the first over. Mark Douglas and skipper Jacob Oram (54) steadied the innings, adding 46 before Douglas went.

The much-awaited return of Greatbatch to first-class cricket lasted five balls before the former international was dismissed for four, caught at the wicket by Reece Young.

Andrew Penn hung about long enough to score 27 before Tama Canning ended the innings with Lance Hamilton's wicket, leaving Central 97 runs in arrears.

With the news that Northern Districts were in trouble against Canterbury, permutations started to flow, but it became evident that Auckland would have to win outright and ND not to do so for the home game advantage in the final to swing Auckland's way.