Cricket: Andrews finally makes his mark with coveted wicket

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Simon Andrews has had few chances in the first-class game, but one bit of magic may yet prove decisive in Northern Districts' chase for outright points against Central Districts.

Central resume their first innings this morning at 120 for six, still needing 53 to avoid the follow-on after Northern had been dismissed for 322.

Andrews - given his chance because Daryl Tuffey and Ian Butler are required for international duty and Simon Doull is injured - came into the State Championship match at WestpacTrust Park with credentials which could hardly be described as even modest.

In his one outing, a year ago against Otago on the same ground, he failed to score after eight minutes at the crease and eight deliveries.

With the ball he fared no better - nine overs, 54 runs and no wicket as Otago's Mark Richardson and Craig Cumming rattled on 220 for the second wicket.

Yesterday, the 21-year-old Hamiltonian had his second bat for another duck, removed first ball after five minutes by a simple catch in the slips by Mathew Sinclair as Glen Sulzberger wrapped up the Northern innings with his fourth wicket.

Andrews soon had his opportunity to finally make his mark. After five tight overs - at a cost of just three runs - he opened his next with a snorter which deceived Sinclair, who chose not to play a shot, and shattered his castle.

As the in-form batsman in the Central line-up - centuries in his last two games and an average of 102.25 from five championship innings - Sinclair's wicket was the one Northern really wanted.

Without Sinclair, Peter Ingram led the salvage operation after David Kelly had gone quickly. Ingram went on to a career-best 43 before he was run out by Graeme Aldridge.

Captain Jacob Oram, in his first outing of the season, was then forced to play the anchor - a difficult task made tougher by some well-directed and well-varied Northern bowling - until he was cut off by Aldridge in the 96th-over (of 100) of the day.

Earlier, Northern had progressed from their overnight 221 for six, with Joseph Yovich picking up the pace in getting from 75 to 90 before falling to Lance Hamilton, who celebrated his second five-wicket haul of the season.

Robbie Hart (51) and Bruce Martin (28 not out) had given the home side some hope of at least a first-innings lead.