Cricket: Auckland batsmen fail to answer challenge

Auckland Aces batsman Gareth Hopkins lashes out in the State Shield clash with the Northern Knights. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland were unable to take advantage of a captains' gamble to contrive a Plunket Shield result and lost their four-day encounter with Northern Districts by 55 runs at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

Northern skipper James Marshall and Auckland captain Gareth Hopkins co-operated to try and force a result after 2 days of the match were lost because of rain.

Resuming their first innings at 82 for none yesterday morning, Northern Districts quickly racked 290 runs for the loss of three wickets before declaring.

Hopkins forfeited Auckland's first innings and Marshall reciprocated by forfeiting his side's second innings leaving Auckland to chase 291 for their first win in four rounds.

Northern bowlers Graeme Aldridge, four for 67, and Brent Arnel, three for 52, ripped the heart out of the Auckland innings.

Hopkins scored his 22nd first-class half century, but when he departed for 76, leg before wicket to Arnel, Auckland's hopes of snatching an unlikely win evaporated.

Earlier, BJ Watling lashed 136 runs off 169 balls as Northern, with a little help from Auckland who employed Reece Young, Anaru Kitchen and Andrew de Boorder as part of a makeshift attack, went in search of quick runs.

Brad Wilson, 47 and Watling put on 101 runs for the first wicket.

After Michael Parlane departed for 26, Marshall and Watling delivered a whirlwind partnership of 115 for the third wicket.

The pair scored 50 runs together off 51 balls in 13 minutes and took another 12 minutes to score the next 50.

Watling's score, which included 24 fours and two sixes, was his fifth first-class century.

The win was Northern's third of the season and sees them well in front on the standings with 26 points, 12 ahead of Wellington in second with six rounds to go.

In Queenstown, Otago recorded their first outright win of the competition with a comfortable nine-wicket victory over Wellington.

Wellington's early control of the match disappeared almost immediately after they declared their first innings closed at 391 for six, with Stewart Rhode's unbeaten 142 on his first-class debut a highlight. However, Otago's emphatic 471 for nine declared, with centuries to Neil Broom, 136, and Sam Wells, 115 not out, proved too much after Wellington were rolled for 203 in a touch more than 62 overs in their second innings.

Only opener Josh Brodie, who backed up his first innings 76 with 70 in the second, and Lance Woodcock, bowled by Neil Wagner for 47 on Saturday, managed to stick around for any length of time.

Tailenders Andy McKay and Robbie Schaw added another 13 runs after overnight rain delayed the start of play by 45 minutes, but a target of 124 proved no challenge at all for Otago.

Wellington medium-pacer Dewayne Bowden picked up his fifth wicket of the match when he trapped Leighton Morgan lbw for 18.

In Rangiora, Central Districts beat Canterbury by 10 wickets.

- NZPA