Cricket: Auckland begin well as ND set early pace

Martin Guptill battled for runs in the recent ODI series against South Africa. Photo / NZME.

Auckland are off to an ideal start, but Northern Districts are the pacesetters after the opening weekend of the domestic T20 cricket competition.

ND won both their games to sit on eight points, Otago being the most disappointed of the provinces after back-to-back defeats in Hamilton.

Auckland scraped home against Otago by two runs on Saturday night. ODI internationals Martin Guptill and Mitchell McClenaghan did the business at either end of their opening Georgie Pie Super Smash game.

Guptill, battling for runs in the recent ODI series against South Africa, made 64 off 54 balls, while Colin de Grandhomme exhibited his fast-scoring ability with an unbeaten 42 off 19 balls, to push Auckland to 167 for four.

Otago needed 13 for the win off the final over, but Nick Beard was run out, then, needing two to set up a super over finish, Sam Wells was bowled by McClenaghan, who finished with 3-29.

ND had a good start, with a 26-run win over a disappointing Wellington, and followed that with a 10-run win over Otago yesterday. Jesse Ryder hit a run-a-ball 33 and Dutch import Ryan ten Doeschate gave Otago hope chasing down ND's 145-5 with a back-to-back sixes late on. However, seamer Ben Laughlin proved his value, conceding only two runs and taking a wicket in the penultimate over to decide the match.