Cricket: Four out of four spells end for Canterbury

Time has probably run out for Canterbury to make any impact in the State Shield one-day competition.

The side are languishing at the bottom of the standings after losing to Wellington by seven wickets and conceding a bonus point yesterday at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

It was Canterbury's fourth defeat from as many games, and easily the most decisive and disappointing.

Only when Michael Papps and Shanan Stewart were industriously compiling 69 runs for the first Canterbury wicket were Wellington, and particularly visiting captain Matthew Bell, not in firm control.

Once Wellington had gained the breakthrough, Bell rotated his bowlers and restricted a Canterbury team strengthened by the inclusion of Chris Cairns, Chris Harris and Shane Bond to 188 for nine.

Had it not been for Bond, who top-scored with 40 at No 9, Canterbury would have fallen far short of a respectable target.

Bond's 30-ball knock included consecutive sixes off Matthew Walker.

Bell then ensured Canterbury remained on the back foot, making 80 from 111 balls, including nine fours and a six over mid wicket off Peter Fulton.

None of the Canterbury seamers matched the uncomfortable bounce extracted by Wellington's bowlers and the wickets the home side gained resulted from self-destruction.

Chris Nevin made 34 from 39 balls before lifting the first ball of Chris Martin's second spell to Stephen Cunis on the fine-leg fence.

Richard Jones was bowled for 42 when swiping wildly at Harris in quest of a bonus point.

Bell, too, fell victim to the bonus points bash, yorked by Martin.

Canterbury should have been boosted by playing at home for the first time but their batting faltered when the three most experienced players - Cairns, Harris and Gary Stead - were out within six runs.

That left Jarrod Englefield and Carl Anderson the task of propping up a collapsing innings at 120 for six, and eight overs passed while they added just 10 runs.

Bond's 40 was a bonus, in a partnership of 49 with Anderson for the eighth wicket.

Canterbury have little time to regroup before meeting Central Districts at Hagley Oval tomorrow.

- NZPA