Cricket: Auckland stymied in their bid to build runs

Auckland leg spinner Tarun Nethula. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Even the weather conspired to dash Auckland's hopes on the first day of their Plunket Shield game against Central Districts at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

Every time the home team seemed likely to establish a partnership, rain or bad light frustrated their efforts and Central chipped away to have Auckland 133 for five when bad light finally ended play at 6.50pm.

Greg Todd had looked likely to continue a revival into the second day but he was undone for 42 by spinner Tarun Nethula at 6.20pm.

Central, who lead the competition after two wins, won the toss and asked Auckland to bat in conditions tailor-made for their pace bowlers, Mitchell McClenaghan, Doug Bracewell and Seth Rance. They regularly had Auckland openers Jeet Raval and new captain Andrew de Boorder playing and missing as they scored 29 in the first hour. McClenaghan bowled de Boorder for 16 and Raval was caught in the slips off Rance for 21.

Todd had come to the wicket after de Boorder's departure and he watched Anaru Kitchen and Colin de Grandhomme fall before he found a stalwart partner in wicketkeeper Brad Cachopa.

Todd added 58 with Cachopa before edging Nethula to first slip. When stumps were drawn at 6.50pm Cachopa was 18 not out. Play will resume at 10am today.

Meanwhile, in Whangarei Canterbury took an early stranglehold on their match against Northern Districts. Canterbury won the toss and bowled, only to find themselves at the crease just 58.1 overs and 119 runs later.

Their top order has gone about knocking off Northern Districts' paltry total in positive fashion and they ended the first day at 110 for one, just nine runs short of popping the two first-innings points in their luggage.

At the Basin Reserve, Otago's batsmen imploded as Wellington enjoyed a rare day of success.

Wellington's decision to bowl first looked to have backfired as Otago openers Craig Cumming (56) and Aaron Redmond (50) put on 104 for the first wicket at a good clip, but a stunning post-lunch collapse saw the visitors lose eight wickets in the session and be bundled out for 207.

- Additional reporting by NZPA