Cricket: Green pitch helps CD bowlers set up easy win over Auckland

Central Districts easily won their State Shield one-day match against Auckland, cruising home by six wickets at Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North, yesterday.

Auckland lost the toss and were put in to bat.

The visitors were dismissed for 173 in the 50th over while Central Districts took just 37 overs to get the required runs.

Rain over the last fortnight had affected the preparation of the pitch. Although yesterday dawned fine, the pitch was green and that assisted the Central Districts seam bowlers.

They extracted plenty of movement early on and were aided by the Aucklanders' penchant for playing the wrong shots.

Matt Horne hung about but Richard Jones and Lou Vincent had short stays as former New Zealand paceman Mike Mason exploited the conditions to take four for 23 from 9.5 overs.

Andre Adams was the exception as he came out firing rather than playing safe.

He scored 34 off only 20 balls until he was caught by wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs off a delivery by offspinner Glen Sulzberger.

Tama Canning, at No 6, appeared to be playing a four-day anchor role as he, too, made 34 but he took 88 minutes to do it before he chipped out and was caught at mid wicket.

Auckland's run rate never looked competitive but credit should go to tight bowling from CD.

Central Districts openers Jamie How and Craig Spearman moved quickly into their work before How was trapped leg before wicket for 14 by Adams and Spearman fell to a slick catch behind the stumps on 20.

When Geoff Barnett and Jarrod Englefield departed within 13 runs of each other, Auckland sensed a breakthrough.

But Sulzberger and Griggs knuckled down and took the runs comfortably.

Sulzberger batted aggressively to finish 66 not out with Griggs unbeaten on 27.

* Wellington felt the absence of allrounder Matthew Walker when losing their match to Northern Districts by 11 runs at the Basin Reserve.

One loss does not break a summer nor should Wellington's brave run chase for 264 be forgotten, led by opener Chris Nevin's 90, and so nearly finished off by left-hander Luke Woodcock's 71 off 91 balls.

But on yesterday's evidence Wellington are going to miss Walker's abilities, not to mention the runs Richard Jones is now contributing to Auckland's cause.

Wellington's loss was not without a moment of controversy.

Northern Districts allrounder Joseph Yovich was in the thick of it, palming a Woodcock top edge to third man back into the field of play when he clearly appeared to ground a shoe outside the boundary rope.

Had the shot been called a six instead of the single Woodcock ran, Nevin would not have been on strike two balls later when he was caught hooking by Yovich in almost the identical spot.

Nevin's dismissal was untimely for the home side, halting his 102-ball innings at 12 boundaries and a six and ending a 63-run stand with Woodcock which threatened to blossom into a match-winning partnership.

But it could not paper over the cracks in Wellington's performance, notably from Johnson's bowlers, nor the fact Wellington will face far tougher opposition this summer.

Only offspinner Jeetan Patel and left-arm seamer James Franklin conceded less than five runs an over as Northern made 263 for eight after winning the toss.

Patel's 10-over spell of two for 37 put the brakes on the Northern Districts' innings but Wellington were leaking oil at the other end as Mark Gillespie, Ash Turner, Graham Murray and Jesse Ryder all suffered at the hands of James Marshall and Matthew Hart, who both made 67, and Yovich, who scored 52.

* Craig McMillan plundered the Otago bowlers to score an unbeaten century and guide Canterbury to a five-wicket win at Alexandra.

McMillan's innings of 113 came off only 100 balls and included three sixes and 10 fours as Canterbury scored 248 for five in pursuit of Otago's 247.

Captaining Canterbury, McMillan led from the front and when Canterbury got the wobbles at the death he hit a few lusty blows to ensure success.

Despite playing the innings of the match, McMillan said it was his team's fielding which made the difference.

Canterbury did not have it all their own way. They needed a run a ball from the last 11 overs with seven wickets in hand and got the shakes when losing Gary Stead and Shanan Stewart.

- NZPA