Cricket: Hart stars as Central fold for paltry 105

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Led by a career-best four for seven from seven overs from man-of-the-match Matthew Hart, Northern Districts got their one-day season back on track with an unlikely 29-run win over Central Districts at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth yesterday.

The win was unlikely in that Central needed just 135 for victory on a pitch which two days earlier had produced a 520-plus run fest as Central chased in vain a victory over Auckland.

Central's pathetic effort yesterday in falling for a miserable 105 - they lost their seven wickets for 33 - handed Northern a State Shield bonus point and ended the home team's hope of retaining their national one-day title.

The Northern innings was a mixture.

Simon Doull stood and delivered at the top of the order, blazing 35 - including two sixes and four fours - from just 20 deliveries at better than a run a minute.

But his departure, after contributing all but eight runs of the opening partnership, signalled the start of Northern's go-slow.

While the batsmen, no doubt, would point to the slowish nature of the pitch, there remained the feeling that they were in an accumulating, rather than scoring mode.

Hart, back in the side after missing the last match in Rotorua with a hamstring strain, appeared restricted in his movement early, but was moving more freely later as he provided the backbone to the innings.

Hart batted for close to two hours for his match-high 42, which included two of only eight boundaries Northern managed.

The Central bowling was steady but with little menace.

Wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs played his part, however, taking five catches.

The 134 runs the visitors did manage should never have been enough, but Central appeared hell-bent on destruction.

From the time Jamie How was run out from the first ball of the innings, the panic set in.

The faithful had barely reached their seats after the break before Mathew Sinclair and Ben Smith were also back in the shed with the total still shy of a dozen.

The Northern attack, with so little to defend, demanded accuracy.

Daryl Tuffey and Joseph Yovich provided that in the early stages.

Grant Bradburn, Graeme Aldridge and, in particular, Hart, followed their lead in strangling the run chase.

Richard King and Griggs added 26 for the fourth wicket, but without much conviction.

Again, there was a feeling that the batsmen were trying to use all available overs to accumulate rather than hit off the paltry target.

Hart, the fifth bowler used by his younger brother, Robbie, killed Central off.

His well-controlled left-arm spin had all batsmen on the defensive.

And when the pressure mounted as Northern sought to cut Central off before the 107 they needed for the bonus point, Hart continued in the same vein.

His only blemish was a wide in the last over.

Central's wickets tumbled at 0, 9, 11, 37, 44, 51, 76, 83, 89 and, finally, 105. Northern, right back in the chase for top spot, are in Hamilton tomorrow to play Otago at WestpacTrust Park, starting at midday. In other eighth-round action, Central play Wellington in Waikanae and Auckland are away to Canterbury at Jade Stadium.