Cricket: Hopkins' 120 helps Auckland to victory

Gareth Hopkins. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A century by captain Gareth Hopkins was just enough to give Auckland an eight-run victory over Wellington in their 50-over match at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

Hopkins, batting at number four, scored 120 as Auckland reached 308 after being put into bat. It was his second 50-over century.

Wellington began disastrously, losing their openers with only five runs on the board. After 17 overs, they were 65 for three and facing an uphill struggle. But sensible batting by Grant Elliott and James Franklin saw the target tantalisingly within reach.

Both were given lives by the Auckland field. Elliott was dropped at the wicket on 54 and Franklin put down in the deep on 44. The partnership was finally broken when Elliott was run out by sharp fielding from Lou Vincent for 73 with six fours and a six.

Franklin reached 65 with five fours before the ever-reliable Michael Bates returned to bowl him at 179 for five.

Harry Boam took 13 off a Kyle Mills over and raced to 59 off 36 balls with eight fours before Mills had his revenge from a catch by Colin de Grandhomme in the deep.

There was some late resistance but tight overs from Bates and Daryl Tuffey saw the visitors fall short. It was Wellington's second loss in the competition and Auckland's first win.

The Aucklanders were noticeably less in T20 mode during their innings than they had been against Northern Districts at the weekend. But from 70 for two they upped the tempo and Hopkins and Anaru Kitchen added 106 at better than a run a ball.

When Hopkins was finally caught in the deep off Elliott's bowling he had faced 96 balls and hit eight fours and two sixes.

Best of the Wellington bowlers was Mark Gillespie, who took four for 56 from his 9.3 overs. Wellington grassed a couple of chances but Neal Parlane dived full length to catch Colin Munro.

Otago were knocked off the top of the domestic one-day cricket standings when they crashed to a 99-run loss to Canterbury in a second-round match at Queenstown.

Canterbury scored 296 for four with solid contributions from their top six batsmen starting with openers Rob Nicol and Michael Papps who shared in a 129-run partnership for the first wicket. In reply, Otago could only muster 197 all out in 46.1 overs.

Northern Districts produced a thrilling finish to beat Central Districts by one wicket with a ball to spare at Palmerston North.

Defending champions Northern Districts who narrowly beat Auckland by two runs in the opening round, chased down Central's Districts 280 for five with Brad Scott scoring a boundary with the penultimate ball of the match off Doug Bracewell to bring the score to 283 for nine.

- additional reporting NZPA