Cricket: Auckland owe Vincent, King

By Terry Maddaford

Lou Vincent and Richard King are at it again.

The Auckland cricket team's saviours in their outright win over Canterbury in the Shell Trophy third-round battle in Rangiora provided the backbone of what could prove another match-winner against Northern Districts yesterday.

Coming together at 128 for three - scored at less than two runs an over - the pair added 88 in 107 minutes to steer Auckland to 216 for three at stumps in the first first-class game at Colin Maiden Park in Glen Innes, Auckland.

At another new venue, the quaintly named Village Green adjacent to Christchurch's QEll Park, Canterbury, who have no chance of making the final, reached 85 for three in reply to Otago's disappointing 119.

Trophy leaders Central Districts, with David Blake spearheading their attack, took the early initiative in their battle with Wellington at the Basin Reserve but were undone by a stubborn knock from veteran Gavin Larsen, who was left stranded on 94 when bad light stopped play almost 30 minutes early.

Outright points for CD would ensure them of a place in the final later this month. But they must have thought the gods were against them when they arrived at the ground yesterday to find water on the pitch block.

Play was delayed by half an hour but once in action Central made early inroads into Wellington's batting, claiming five for 91 before Mark Jefferson and Larsen added 66 for the seventh wicket and James Franklin and Larsen an unbeaten 96 for the eighth.

Larsen has scored just one first-class century in his previous 100 games.
Auckland struggled to score against a steady Northern attack and went to lunch at 40 for one after 140 minutes, with captain Blair Pocock batting for 95 minutes for eight.

New Zealand under-19 representative Tim McIntosh scored 41 in 224 minutes before falling to Daryl Tuffey. Stephen Lynch picked up the pace, reaching 50 in 116 minutes before departing for 61.

That brought Vincent and King together. Fresh from the 90 they scored in Rangiora, they were bristling aggression, with Vincent in particular most impressive.

He brought up his half-century with one of the eight boundaries he smacked in his 136-minute stay. He was particularly harsh on Graeme Aldridge, smacking four successive boundaries in Aldridge's 20th, and last, over.

King, 107 minutes for his 30, provided the support for Vincent.

Auckland seem determined to bat for as long as possible in their first innings and then toss the initiative to Northern to salvage what they can as they keep their final hopes alive.

Otago had the worst possible start when Chris Gaffaney fell to the first ball of the innings.

Canterbury also began badly, but led by captain Craig Cumming - 51 not out in 182 minutes - played themselves back into the game.