Cricket: Fleming in top form for capital

Stephen Fleming

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming showed a welcome return to form as he guided Wellington to a four-wicket win in their State Shield one-day match against Auckland yesterday.

Fleming, who returns to the Black Caps squad for tomorrow's match in the one-day series against Sri Lanka in Wellington, hit 104 off 117 balls as Wellington eased past Auckland's 252 for eight in 47 overs.

He was finally caught by Tama Canning off the bowling of former Wellington representative Mayu Pasupati with the total at 235.

South African allrounder Grant Elliott (11) combined with Luke Woodcock, who took 42 balls for his 41 runs, to see Wellington through to a comfortable victory.

Auckland's pace duo of Kerry Walmsley and Chris Martin picked up two encouraging wickets in seeing off openers Jesse Ryder (9) and Chris Nevin (34), and when Rob Nicol caught Michael Parlane off Canning for four, Wellington were 90 for three.

But Fleming steadied the Firebirds through a series of partnerships with Nevin, Matthew Bell and Woodcock for a well-judged victory.

Martin was the best of the Auckland bowlers, picking up two wickets for 44 runs off his 10 overs, while Pasupati managed two for 47.

Struggling at 100 for six after being asked to bat, Auckland were rescued by Rob Nicol's fighting 88 not out and some stern resistance from the lower order in Reece Young (40) and Pasupati (42). Pacemen Iain O'Brien and James Franklin were the best of the Wellington bowlers - O'Brien picked up three wickets for 46 off 10 overs. Franklin managed two for 43.

Opener Michael Papps steered Canterbury to a six-wicket win over Northern Districts to give the national selectors yet another reminder of his fine form.

Papps was unbeaten on 137 when Canterbury cruised past Northern's 272 for eight in their 50 overs with 10 balls to spare at Taupo's Owen Delany Park. The other batsman not out was captain Chris Harris (24).

Papps scored 92 in the first round of the competition last week but couldn't stop Wellington winning that match. His partnership with Nixon McLean (38) yielded 100 runs and with Harris 50, as Canterbury looked solid in their chase.

Papps' 100 came off 114 balls and 137 off 156 and included 16 boundaries.

Northern had set a reasonable target with Alun Evans (89) BJ Watling (53) James Marshall (33) the major contributors.

Ross Taylor's century was the only bright spot at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park as rain forced an early end to the Central Districts-Otago match with no result.

The match was abandoned with Otago on 36 for the loss of one wicket in the seventh over, chasing a reduced target of 203 from 34 overs due to the rain. Central scored 219 for eight in 39 overs with Taylor hitting 107 off just 103 balls.