Cricket: Auckland move to top after crushing Otago

Auckland clambered to the top of cricket's State Championship after an innings and 84-run thumping of Otago inside three days at Queenstown yesterday.

Auckland moved two points ahead of Central Districts, whose game against third-placed Wellington concludes today.

Seam bowlers Andy McKay and Chris Martin did the damage yesterday to dismiss Otago for 240, following the good first innings work of Daryl Tuffey and Tarun Nethula when the hosts reached just 210.

In between times, Auckland compiled 534 for seven declared, proving the Events Centre ground wasn't the minefield Otago made it appear.

Resuming at 428 for five yesterday, the visitors added 106 more in snappy time, allowing wicketkeeper Reece Young to become the third centurion of the innings after Richard Jones and Anaru Kitchen.

Young's 100 not out off 147 balls was his fifth at first-class level and prompted the declaration immediately.

Wickets fell in clumps for Otago yesterday, losing three at 81 and five as the score advanced from 191 to 196.

Neil Broom's 79 was the only score of note while Mathew Harvie and Nick Beard put on 44 for the final wicket to prolong the agony.

McKay snared four for 58 while Martin bagged three for 49 in a confidence-boosting outcome before the first test against India starting on Wednesday.

Tauranga teenager Kane Williamson picked up his maiden first-class five-wicket haul as Northern Districts tightened the screws on winless Canterbury on the third day in Christchurch yesterday.

Canterbury had limped to 246 all out in their first innings and improved only marginally yesterday.

After dismissing Northern for 383, Canterbury were teetering at stumps on Saturday at eight for two.

A 259-run partnership between Peter Fulton and Michael Papps for the third wicket yesterday gave the southerners a glimpse of hope until Williamson struck, removing first Fulton for 122 just before tea, then Papps on 128 shortly after play resumed.

That was the signal for a collapse of epic proportions, as the remaining six wickets fell for just 29 runs, leaving Canterbury all out for 309 and defending a paltry lead of 172.

Facing 10 tricky overs at the end of the day, Northern reached stumps at 31 for one, losing Anton Devcich for one in the second over but leaving Hamish Marshall not out on 21.

Williams finished with figures of five for 75 off 25.3 overs.

Aside from Fulton and Papps, Canterbury were woeful with the bat, only Iain Robertson managing to reach double figures, finishing on 12 not out. Extras were the third highest scorer, with 18.

Wellington allrounder James Franklin once again used his bat to enhance his test selection chances on the third day against Central Districts in Napier yesterday.

Franklin was unbeaten on 107 at stumps as Wellington's second innings tally of 201 for three gave them a 315-run lead with a day remaining.

With first innings points already secured, an early Wellington declaration looms today, with a hope they can run through Central's batting order in the same manner as yesterday.

Franklin's golden touch continued, having reached 76 in the first innings and now sitting on 631 runs in the competition at an average of 158.

Franklin is in the New Zealand squad to face India in the first test starting at Hamilton on Wednesday but is not a guaranteed selection. However, his 141-ball effort yesterday may have been enough to clinch the deal.

Franklin also claimed three for 59 with the ball as Central were dismissed for 296, handing the visitors a 114-run first innings advantage at McLean Park.

Another left-arm seamer, Dewayne Bowden, took four for 55 while invited Indian pace man Dhawal claimed three for 62 despite bowling 11 no balls.

Central resumed at 156 for two but Murali Vijay and Sinclair were removed relatively early for 93 and 62 respectively.

- NZPA