Cricket: Auckland's one-day woes continue

Jamie How

Central Districts continued their form revival with a second consecutive victory as normal State Shield service resumed for strugglers Auckland in Nelson yesterday.

Just three days after dishing out a nine-wicket hiding to Canterbury, Central won yesterday's rain-shortened match by 119 runs at Trafalgar Park.

Central's bowlers, who dismissed Canterbury for 109, did the job again as paceman Mike Mason led the way with three for 14 off seven overs as Auckland folded for 106 in 28.2 overs.

Earlier, New Zealand one-day opener Jamie How, who scored 87, and Ross Taylor, 84 not out, plundered Auckland's bowlers as Central racked up 225 for four off 42 overs after rain delayed the start for 90 minutes.

It was Central's second win from five matches to keep them in playoff contention while Auckland - without injured internationals Scott Styris, Lou Vincent, Andre Adams and Kyle Mills - remain anchored to the foot of the points table despite scoring their first win of the season on Tuesday.

Auckland captain Richard Jones sent Central in to bat, but his bowlers couldn't take advantage of the damp conditions as How and Taylor added 111 for the second wicket.

How hit 13 boundaries in his 87 off 114 balls before he was removed by Tama Canning who was the sole Auckland bowler to shine with three for 21 off nine overs.

Taylor saw it through to the end, whacking an unbeaten 84 off 87 balls including 10 fours and a six.

Auckland were quickly on the ropes at 20 for four as Mason sparked the collapse.

He trapped Jones leg before wicket for nought, bowling Tuesday's centurymaker Paul Hitchcock for nine and having New Zealand Under-19 batsman Martin Guptill caught for six.

Left-armer Lance Hamilton completed the top-order collapse when he removed former test opener Matt Horne without scoring.

Allrounder Mayu Pasupati topscored with 31, batting at No 9, as Auckland fronted with just 10 batsmen with paceman Kerry Walmsley absent. Walmsley earlier left the field injured during his sixth over, further adding to Auckland coach Mark O'Donnell's headaches.

* Meanwhile, Canterbury's band of Black Caps flexed their muscle as they ushered in New Zealand's inaugural Twenty20 cricket competition with a six-wicket win over Otago in Christchurch yesterday.

Led by a rapid 47 off 32 balls from former international Craig McMillan, Canterbury overhauled Otago's total of 153 for eight with 20 balls to spare.

Needing to score at just 7.7 runs per over in their run chase at Hagley Park, Canterbury's batting lineup of current or former internationals barely raised a sweat.

Brendon McCullum was promoted to open and cracked 25 off 13 balls, McMillan swatted six fours in his innings before Peter Fulton and Chris Harris saw the chase home with unbeaten innings of 23 and 29 respectively.

Canterbury had an unlikely bowling star in left-arm spinner Carl Anderson who took an excellent three for 15 off his maximum four overs against the State Shield competition frontrunners.

Both teams play a round five State Shield match in Christchurch today.

* Peter McGlashan was run out six runs short of a rare Twenty20 century but still did enough to carry Northern Districts to a five-wicket win over Wellington at the Basin Reserve yesterday.

McGlashan slashed 94 to lift the visitors to 186 for five with two balls remaining in reply to Wellington's 185 for eight. The 49-ball innings included nine fours and three sixes.

A more sedate 51 from 43 balls from Nick Horsley set up the chase, with Northern looking on target most of the way despite leaving victory until the final over.

Wellington's standout innings came from opener Chris Nevin, whose whirlwind 45 off just 17 balls included three sixes.

Graeme Aldridge kept the Wellington effort in check with the best bowling figures of the day, taking four for 19 off three overs.

The teams clash in a State Shield match in Wellington today.

- NZPA