Cricket: Cantabs singing in the rain

Canterbury extended their overall lead in the State Championship competition to seven points during the weather-affected sixth round, which ended yesterday.

Rain caused an early abandonment of Canterbury's match with Central Districts at the Rangiora Recreation Ground, but they had earned two first innings points.

Otago completed a nine-wicket victory over Auckland in Dunedin, and play was washed out for a third consecutive day to leave Wellington and Northern Districts with a no-result at Wellington.

With two rounds to be played before the final, Canterbury have 22 points, Wellington and Auckland 15 each, Central 12, Otago 11, and Northern 3.

Canterbury's remaining games are against Otago at Alexandra, starting on Friday, and Northern at Gisborne.

Ahead by 128 runs with eight wickets left at yesterday's resumption, Canterbury soon lost Gary Stead and Aaron Redmond to have the outcome in the balance.

Redmond was the 11th batsman from both teams to fall for the addition of only 43 runs.

He also extended a rare number of batsmen out leg before wicket - 13 of the 24 in the match, and all four in Canterbury's second innings.

But captain Chris Harris and apprentice Neil Broom stopped the slide with a positive 62-run partnership before Broom proved it was possible to cause one's own demise without bringing the pads into play.

At the second rain-enforced stoppage, soon after Paul Wiseman had deposited his only scoring shot well beyond the long-on boundary, Canterbury was 221 runs in credit and again dictating the terms.

Harris was a cut above the rest with his excellent batting double, his effective bowling, and his foresight in bringing Warren Wisneski and Chris Martin back to destroy Central's only innings when less imaginative captains would have waited for the new ball.

Canterbury can clinch a home final when they meet Otago at Alexandra next weekend, but their rivals will be fighting for the right to play off for the championship.

Auckland are at home to Northern, and Central play Wellington at Napier.

- NZPA