Cricket: Auckland upset by bottom placed Wellington

Photo / APN

Top of the table Auckland have been turned over by Wellington today, as the Ford Trophy cellar dwellers thrashed the Aces by 102 runs at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.

Wellington opener Michael Papps' 90 set Wellington on their way to a competitive total of 276, which proved far too challenging for Auckland's stacked batting lineup, as they crashed to 174 all out in just 37 overs.

The loss was Auckland's second from seven games this season, but they remained atop the standings courtesy of Central Districts' win over second-placed Canterbury.

Batting first, Wellington were coasting along thanks to a 144-run second-wicket partnership between Papps and Stephen Murdoch, before Papps edged one to wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins off Andre Adams when 10 runs short of his century.

At 181-2, the Firebirds were quickly reduced to 196-5 as Murdoch, Grant Elliott and Luke Woodcock were dismissed in quick succession, before James Franklin (39) and Harry Boam (37) resurrected the innings as the Firebirds were bowled out for 276.

Auckland left-armer Mitchell McClenaghan continued his sparkling form with the ball, taking 6-41 off 9.3 overs to go with his five-wicket bag against Northern Districts at the same venue on Thursday.

In reply, a 50-run opening stand between Tim McIntosh and Brad Cachopa was as good as it got for the hosts as, once McIntosh was run out by Grant Elliott, the Aces lost regular wickets as Jeet Raval's easily registering his side's top score with 48.

Mark Gillespie cleaned up the Auckland tail to finish with 3-37, while spinner Jeetan Patel chipped in with a pair of scalps and Elliott added another run out.

Thankfully for Auckland, they were not the only high-flyers to be upset today, after centuries from opener Dean Robinson and Matt Sinclair saw Central Districts overhaul Canterbury's 291 with three balls and seven wickets to spare.

A century from opener George Worker appeared to put Canterbury in the box seat at the innings break at Rangiroa, only for the Stags to pace their innings superbly to register their second win of the season.

Worker's 108 saw the hosts reach 291-5, a total they would have been confident of defending at Mainpower Oval, but 20-year-old Robinson, in just his second one-day game, had other ideas.

He hit an unbeaten 130 and put on a massive 231-run partnership with Sinclair for the third wicket, seeing his side across the line after Sinclair was eventually dismissed for 123 with two overs remaining.

In the day's other game, Otago had better luck defending their imposing total, beating Northern Districts by five runs in Hamilton to jump to second on the table.

A brutal display of death batting from Nathan McCullum ensured Otago set a tough target of 293 for the hosts to chase, with the allrounder taking just 43 balls to hit 90 and smashing seven sixes along the way. He put on a century stand with Craig Cumming for the fifth wicket, a partnership to which Cumming contributed just 18.

Cumming ended on 85 not out while 20-year-old top order batsman Michael Bracewell, a recent selection for the New Zealand XI side which drew with Zimbabwe, also notched a half century.

Northern Districts stuttered initially in their chase, falling to 76-4 after 16 overs, but a fine unbeaten hundred from No 5 Anton Devcich gave the Knights a sniff. They needed 14 from the final over but Neil Wagner restricted them to nine, consigning the hosts to last place after seven of 10 rounds.