KEY POINTS:
Auckland put their State Twenty20 cricket championship campaign back on track when they edged Northern Districts by two runs at Eden Park yesterday.
Auckland, who lost to Otago in their opening match on Friday, scored 190 runs after they won the toss and opted to bat first. Scott Styris top-scored with an imposing 61 from 31 balls but was outshone by a whirlwind 46 not out by Gareth Hopkins, who smashed four boundaries and four sixes from just17 balls. Andrew Strauss (29), Daniel Vettori (31), James Marshall (31), Daniel Flynn (37) and Peter McGlashan (26) all got starts. Northern's chase faltered when Mark Orchard retired hurt after scoring four runs, exposing the lower order.
Captain and opener Jamie How led the way as Central Districts shot to the lead with their second win. How cracked an unbeaten 78 from 50 balls, backed by Greg Hay's 62 not out, as Central reached 224 with only three wickets lost in their 20 overs. Wellington fell short by 62 runs in their run chase, finishing on 162 for nine in their allocated overs.
In the other match in Dunedin yesterday, Canterbury beat Otago by two runs.
