Cricket : Auckland face uphill struggle in Christchurch

Kyle Mills. Photo / Supplied

The middle order came to the rescue but Auckland still face an uphill struggle to get points off Canterbury in their Plunket Shield cricket match at Christchurch.

After two days, the visitors trail by 285 runs with just five wickets in hand after Canterbury reached a substantial 435 for nine declared, highlighted by Dean Brownlie becoming the first centurion of the domestic summer.

In response, Auckland were 150 for five, having improved considerably from a start at QEII Park Village Green that saw them slump to 29 for four.

Colin de Grandhomme stopped the rot with a pugnacious 53, followed by diligent knocks from Anaru Kitchen and captain Kyle Mills, who were unbeaten on 48 and 32 at stumps.

Left-arm seamer Ryan McCone was the Canterbury danger man, taking three for 16 off nine overs. He clean-bowled openers Jeet Raval and Brad Cachopa for ducks before returning to remove de Grandhomme with the first ball of his second spell.

Earlier Australian-born Brownlie just carried on scoring after resuming at 74 and Canterbury at 281 for six.

He went on to lodge a career-best 153 not out, including 18 fours.

Todd Astle gave the best support, reaching 41, while medium-pacer Andre Adams and offspinner Bhupinder Singh both claimed three wickets for Auckland.

* Defending champions Northern Districts struck two late, lethal blows to take a firm grip of their match against Otago in Queenstown.

Leading by 74 runs on the first innings, Northern rammed home their advantage by removing Otago's two best batsmen just before stumps.

Captain Craig Cumming scored two and fellow-opener Aaron Redmond a first-ball duck, the departure of the two occasional New Zealand representatives leaving the hosts at four for two.

First-innings hero Graeme Aldridge and Trent Boult claimed a wicket each to build on the work of their batsmen, who compiled 375 in response to Otago's first innings 301.

Paceman Neil Wagner took an impressive six for 55 for the hosts but it couldn't stop Northern Districts taking innings honours, guided chiefly by 61 to allrounder Joseph Yovich and 60 from opener Brad Wilson.

Several others made starts, namely Daniel Flynn, 49, Jono Boult, 41, and Michael Parlane, 40, although they were guilty of not pushing on.

- NZPA