Cricket: Last-wicket stand denies Central win

By CHRIS RATTUE and NZPA

Central Districts fell on the wrong side of the fine line between success and failure at Eden Park last night.

In a dramatic end to their State Championship fourth-round match, Auckland's final pair of captain Brooke Walker and the ungainly Kerry Walmsley held out for eight overs to deny Central victory.

Walker and Walmsley were the unlikely batting heroes as Auckland scraped to a draw.

For much of yesterday, it looked as though Central would bite the hand that fed them.

Starting the day at 141 for two, a lead of 111, Craig Spearman and Mathew Sinclair were gifted runs by Auckland, who were hoping for a more generous declaration than they finally received.

Things got away from Auckland as Spearman in particular went on a batting rampage, leading his side to a total of 346 for six.

Spearman smashed 133 from 114 balls, half of his runs coming from 11 sixes - just short of the Eden Park record of 12 in an innings set by Dipak Patel.

Spearman clouted one six into Sandringham Rd, over the short mid-wicket boundary, as Central set Auckland a target of 317.

Auckland got off to the worst possible start when Lance Hamilton sent Tim McIntosh's stumps tumbling in the first over.

Auckland spent the rest of the match in survival mode.

Only Rob Nicol, with 77, lasted any length of time. He was extremely lucky to survive a short catching decision off Glen Sulzberger's bowling in the 66th over, but fell to paceman Brent Hefford soon after.

Walker and Walmsley provided the heroics though, surviving through to the 75th and final over with Auckland on 185 for nine.

* Chris Harris has not taken long to find a pleasant diversion after losing his place in the national one-day team.

Harris, who has succeeded Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan as Canterbury captain, yesterday led the side back to the top of the points table with a commanding innings and 109-run victory over Northern Districts in Christchurch.

The win was completed comfortably as Northern, who had limped to 60 for six wickets late on the third day, were dismissed for 137.

"It's great, I'm loving it," Harris said of the captaincy. "I hope this [win] gets me another game."

With Cairns and McMillan required for international duty, there is nothing surer than Harris' being in charge when Canterbury take on Auckland in the fifth round at Hagley Oval from Saturday.

After several bleak seasons, Canterbury have emerged as strong contenders to lead after the round-robin section of the competition.

Canterbury had restricted Northern to a modest 206 on the first day, then dominated while achieving a lead of 246.

Northern were on their knees at 12 for six on Monday before Joseph Yovich and Bruce Martin added 48 to stumps. They extended their partnership to 80 yesterday.

* James Franklin's maiden first-class century was to no avail as Wellington fell short in their quest for first innings points against Otago at Carisbrook.

Franklin was left stranded on 108 when Wellington were finally dismissed for 381, a deficit of 84 runs, after a marathon innings lasting 710 minutes and 199.3 overs.

Otago, who compiled 465 in the first innings, reached 91 for two before stumps were pulled on the drawn match at 5pm.

The Wellington batsmen again made no attempt to breathe life into the match, either by adventurous strokeplay or by a declaration that would have thrown the onus back on Otago to reply in kind.

Points: Canterbury 16, Auckland 13, Wellington 6, Otago 5, Central 4, Northern 2.

- NZPA