Cricket: Canterbury struggle as Southee and Arnel strike

Northern Districts bowler Brent Arnel celebrated his test call up with four wickets on the opening day of the State Championship four-day cricket match against Canterbury in Christchurch today.

Arnel's figures of four for 38, as he tunes-up for a possible debut in the first test against India beginning on Wednesday at Hamilton, were shaded by discarded Black Cap, Tim Southee.

Southee was pounded by India's explosive batsmen in the third one-day international at Christchurch last week, going wicket-less for 105 runs off 10 overs, the second worst return in all ODIs.

But he rebounded today, taking five for 43 off 21 overs after Northern won the toss and sent Canterbury in to bat on QEII Park.

Canterbury were unable to replicate their mammoth 543 in their first innings against Central Districts in the previous round, and were bundled out for 246.

They lost early wickets to be three for 32 before a 112-run stand for the fourth wicket between Johann Myburgh and Iain Robertson steadied the innings.

Myburgh reached 50 with Robertson, who scored an unbeaten century to help New Zealand A to a draw with England A on Tuesday, going on to 61, his fourth first class 50 in 18 matches.

It was Myburgh's 25th half-century in 61 first class matches.

The innings featured braces from Southee and Arnel.

After earlier dismissing Todd Astle for 18, then Peter Fulton for a duck, Southee took wickets with consecutive balls - Robertson, followed by Corey Anderson for no score.

Brendan Hiini became his fifth victim, for eight.

Wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk foiled Southee's hat-trick bid and went on to shore up the innings with a cautious 67 off 123 balls, his 16th first class half-century in 71 matches.

Arnel is on a hat-trick for Canterbury's second innings after consecutive deliveries removed van Wyk and No 11 batsman, Hamish Bennett for a duck.

Arnell's other victims were Michael Papps, 11, and Andy Ellis, nine.

Northern were 62 for one at stumps in their first innings and will resume tomorrow with Brad Wilson on 23 and Daniel Flynn on 29.

- NZPA