Cricket: Bates holds his nerve at the death

Michael Bates. Photo / Getty Images

When the time came, Michael Bates was ready.

Canterbury needed 13 off the final Auckland over to win their HRV Cup game in Christchurch yesterday.

But the big left armer did his job well. Auckland won by two runs to sit top of the table approaching the competition's halfway stage.

Canterbury needed four off the final delivery, but managed just two and Bates, who likes that pressure role, was able to savour the moment.

"You've just got to relax and back yourself," he said last night. "You practice for situations like that, hitting yorkers, just having positive thoughts rather than 'if I get it wrong I'm going to get smacked'."

Bates, Auckland's Cricketer of the Year last summer, is shaping as a key figure in Auckland's plans in this T20 competition. The 27-year-old likes having the ball thrown his way for the death of the innings.

"It's a good challenge. You're not always going to win, but when you do it feels that much better. And I enjoy the responsibility of bowling those last couple of overs," he said.

Earlier, Auckland managed 155 for six, English import Jimmy Adams getting a brisk 45 before allrounder Colin Munro, for the second consecutive game, played a major hand, 33 from 16 balls, to inject some momentum.

Canterbury's Dutch import Ryan ten Doeschate and Reece Young put on 39 off 25 balls and carried the hosts to the point of victory before former Auckland wicketkeeper-batsman Young was run out off the penultimate ball.

"Although we're playing some good cricket, there's still some areas to tidy up,"Auckland coach Paul Strang said. "But this speaks more about the character of the guys. We're winning games and still not playing our best."

ND hammered Wellington at the Basin Reserve, making 201 for six after winning the toss.

Australian Brad Hodge was again good value with 51 off 32 balls, Anton Devcich hit 48 from 30 before wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan savaged the bowling with 66 from just 31 balls, 48 of them in boundaries.

Wellington were never in the frame and were dismissed for 147 in the final over, Bradley Scott taking three for 32. International batsman Jesse Ryder made four off nine balls on his return from injury.

Otago remain winless after getting a pasting from defending champions Central Districts in Invercargill. With Neil Broom and Derek de Boorder both making 38 not out, the hosts' 175 for six should have been competitive, but CD made no race of it.

Young allrounder Kieran Noema-Barnett went ballistic, the burly lefthander clubbing an unbeaten 57 from only 18 balls, with seven sixes to carry CD to 178 for three with 2.3 overs to spare.

Wellington host Auckland in the next game in the capital on Wednesday.