Cricket: Auckland take pole position

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

Auckland jumped to the head of the competition when they ended the first round of four-day matches with an innings and six runs victory over previous leaders Canterbury at Eden Park yesterday.

In spite of a fightback in the middle order by Gareth Hopkins and Ryan Burson, who frustrated the home side for nearly two hours with a 48-run, eighth-wicket partnership, the State Championship game was wrapped up by Chris Drum who trapped Hopkins lbw and with successive balls bowled Burson and Chris Martin.

Auckland made 272, while Canterbury were dismissed for 94 and, having started the day at 49 for one, were bowled out for 172.

Going into next week's round, Auckland have 19 points, Canterbury 16, Wellington 15, Northern Districts 14, Central Districts 12 and Otago four.

It was Drum's fourth five-wicket haul in two first-class games, starting with Bangladesh before Christmas. Auckland coach Tony Sail said it was a superb effort by the big medium-fast bowler.

"He has bowled brilliantly for us this season.

"You only have to look at the number of times he hits the stumps and gets lbw decisions to know how accurate he is."

Sail still has problems with injuries to key new ball bowlers, Tama Canning and Gareth Shaw.

Canning took no part in the match after he had bowled 11 overs on the first day. He has a stomach muscle strain and is rated only a 50-50 chance of playing on Monday in the match against Northern Districts on Eden Park's outer oval.

The 20-year-old Shaw turned an ankle in the field but Sail says he is 95 per cent sure to play.

Also unlikely to play on Monday through injury is 12th man for the Canterbury match, Llorne Howell.

Sail said he has invited several new players to practice tomorrow afternoon at which time he will assess the damage and name a team. Auckland skipper Brooke Walker said they were confident about staying in front.

"The response from the guys in the face of the problems was marvellous, and we simply stuck at it," Walker, who took his 100th first-class wicket in the match, said. "We are very focused and with five games to go we are confident about our chances of staying in front."