KEY POINTS:
Auckland gave themselves the best possible start to the national first-class championship - but that's all it is.
Their 73-run win over Canterbury at Rangiora yesterday included several strong performances, and it's given them an early jump on the field, as the other four teams don't start their State Championship campaign until Monday.
But Auckland will want to build on what they have achieved when they meet Central Districts in Napier next week.
"I'm very happy with what we did, although we didn't bat well enough in the second innings, but we got 400-plus and put them under pressure," coach Mark O'Donnell said.
Auckland left defending champions Canterbury 405 to win on a good cricket strip and dismissed them for 331 early on the final morning, after Corey Anderson had thumped a fine 88 not out to hold up victory celebrations.
O'Donnell had expressed concern at how 20 wickets would be obtained in favourable batting conditions at Rangiora, but yesterday praised his bowlers.
"We thought it was going to be really hard work but there were good contributions from all the bowlers at key times," he said.
Among them were young allrounder Colin de Grandhomme who took three for 37, giving him five for the match, and debutant legspinner Tarun Nethula, who picked up three for 83 in 21 overs.
The foundation came from a 197-run second wicket stand between centurymakers Tim McIntosh and Reece Young on day one, but despite good batting conditions, there was only one other partnership of significance - 99 for the third wicket between Peter Fulton and Johan Myburgh for Canterbury in their second innings.
On Monday, Northern Districts travel south to face Otago in Dunedin, and Wellington host Canterbury.
