Cricket: Disaster dogs Auckland's one-day efforts

Kyle Mills made 55 for Auckland, only 10 runs short of the total scored by Auckland's top six batsmen. Picture / Fotopress

The mystery continues.

Auckland crashed to another one-day defeat with coach Mark O'Donnell admitting: "It's the sort of thing that makes coaches pull their hair out and kick the dog."

Not that O'Donnell is one to visit any harm on our canine friends, although any pooch in his vicinity might just cast a wary glance.

Auckland - the runaway State Championship leaders - remain winless after seven rounds of the one-day competition after a seven-run loss to Wellington at Eden Park. With five defeats and two washed out games, they are State Shield goners.

Jeetan Patel, who provided the rare sight of a spin bowler operating at the death, was a star turn for Wellington. With Auckland needing 13 off the final over to better Wellington's 208, Patel limited Paul Hitchcock and Brooke Walker to singles.

Earlier, he struck the crucial blow by putting the squeeze on Auckland's batting hero, Kyle Mills (55).

When Mills tried to sweep his way free of the shackles, he lobbed a catch to Stephen Fleming behind square leg and the sting went out of the Auckland tail. And that is where all their batting hopes seem to lie right now. In their first four completed matches, those figuring in the Auckland top six have tinkered their way to an average of less than 15 each.

Yesterday, the top six contributed a total of 65 runs. Only one top-six batsman, Rob Nicol, has scored a 50 this season.

"In the four-dayers our batsmen can afford to let the ball come to them but we're having to chase it in the one-day games and it's causing a bit of anxiety," O'Donnell said.

Auckland, minus the ill and injured Andre Adams and Lou Vincent, have a batting line-up stacked with experience and tailor-made for the longer game, but they are one-day disasters.

Once again, the extras challenged their top order batters - and won. The best shot during their early chase was a crashing Nicol drive which Wellington opening bowler Ash Turner deflected on to the stumps to run out Richard Jones.

Wellington's batting wasn't much better with Fleming reaching just 23, and no one dominating.

Mayu Pasupati, a key figure in the earlier win over Auckland, looked the most likely, smashing Nicol and Paul Hitchcock for sixes. But he fell, literally, after changing his mind while going for a second run and was stranded by Tama Canning's throw. Wellington's total was modest, but given Auckland's form, they were well placed.

Mills, assisted by Canning and Hitchcock, threatened to pull off a most unlikely victory. He came to the wicket in the 17th over with Auckland 52 for five.

It was almost as if Auckland were waiting for his arrival. He delivered, almost, but the match ended with a whimper as Patel had the final say.

Meanwhile, Kerry Walmsley (hamstring) is fit for Auckland's clash against Otago in Oamaru tomorrow. But Adams, with a possible virus, and Vincent (thumb injury) won't be risked in a hopeless one-day cause so are unlikely starters.