KEY POINTS:
A classy 90 by English import Mal Loye helped lift Auckland to a five-wicket win over Northern Districts in the opening round of the State Shield one-day cricket competition today.
In the only game not affected by the weather, Auckland patiently and comfortably surpassed Northern's 239 after sending the visitors in at Eden Park Outer Oval.
Auckland made a shocking start though, with opener Lou Vincent removed by Graeme Alridge without any run on the board.
However Paul Hitchcock (39) and Richard Jones (52) steadied the innings with a 90-run second-wicket partnership before Loye's batting paved the way for their victory.
Using a runner because of a calf muscle problem, Loye hit through gaps and got his 90 in just 79 balls, and it included 13 fours and a six.
By the time Lowe left, Auckland were 228 and humming along nicely.
Rob Nicol scored 39 before newcomer Dave Haupapa and Reece Young guided them to victory, with Haupapa lifting Aldridge over the boundary for the winning runs.
Aldridge took two for 33.
It was the middle order that had Northern going earlier, with Alun Evans and Hamish Marshall scoring half centuries.
Evans scored 70 and Marshall 59 off 54 balls.
Lance Shaw took three for 45 and Ronnie Hira two for 36.
In the other two weather-affected matches, Canterbury beat Otago by 23 runs in a match reduced to 43 overs each and Wellington beat Central Districts by four wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Central scored 241 for five in their 50 overs before rain at Nelson's Trafalgar Park interrupted play and the revised target for Wellington was 232 in 46 overs which they managed with six wickets down.
Central's middle order had taken charge earlier, with Mathew Sinclair (67), Greg Hay (55) and Ewen Thompson (50 not out) all scoring half centuries.
The middle order prevailed again in Wellington's innings, built around a significant partnership between Grant Elliott (78) and Stu Mills (49) for 123.
Canterbury scored 238 for five off their 53 overs at Mainpower Oval in Rangiora after being sent in by Otago.
All the batsmen made useful contributions after Iain Robertson (37) and Michael Papps (28) provided a solid foundation with a 70 opening partnership.
Craig McMillan topscored with 69 off 52 balls, with eight fours and a six included.
Shanan Stewart (21) and Chris Harris (39 not out) took over from the top order to ensure Otago were left with challenge.
Otago looked well poised to reel in the target when Aaron Redmond and Greg Todd got going.
Redmond scored 53 and Todd 43, with Jordan Sheed 35 not out providing a run-a-ball exhibition. But Otago left it too late.
- NZPA
