Cricket: Champions thank fired-up reject

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

Guy Coleman's one-day debut for Auckland in the State Shield competition was nothing less than disappointing.

But at the weekend, after the fourth round of Auckland club cricket, he came up with the best possible response to being dropped from the provincial team - taking 6-29 for Grafton against Suburbs New Lynn.

There was only time for Grafton to take the six points on offer for a first-innings lead and they were counting themselves lucky that Coleman came out fired up and angry.

After a rain-affected first day, Grafton struggled to 103 in their first innings and Suburbs New Lynn, leading on the table, could not believe their luck in getting the defending champions out so easily.

But Coleman, bowling fast-medium at one end, and medium-pacer Nick Jury at the other found plenty of help in the pitch and the westerners' challenge crashed for 84.

Grafton have taken the championship lead from Suburbs, but Howick Pakuranga batted consistently to take first-innings points from Parnell and move a shade closer to the pace.

Sanjeeva Silva (67), Peter Tomlinson (63 not out) and Brad Neilson (44) took Howick Pakuranga to 275-8, well past Parnell's 158.

Cornwall dropped further back after being headed by North Shore.

Stephen Peters (80) and Rob Lynch (32) got Cornwall to 202, but North Shore wicketkeeper Mike Hart fired a fast 76 and his team raced ahead with 271.

Grant McPherson, who for 13 seasons has been the mainstay of the Birkenhead attack, took 5-40 against East Coast Bays and gave his side a first-innings lead.

In first-grade matches, Takapuna medium-fast bowler Andrew McKay ended with match figures of 11 for 34 to give his side a four-wicket win over Waitakere City, and Auckland University routed Eden Roskill by eight wickets.

Papatoetoe hung on to draw with Howick Pakuranga and Ellerslie gained a valuable first-innings lead over Howick Pakuranga.