Cricket: Long-time foes romp into Auckland one-day final

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

Traditional rivals Cornwall and Grafton will contest the final of the Auckland club cricket one-day championship at Eden Park on December 23.

In yesterday's semifinals, East Coast managed 98 against Cornwall and were extremely lucky to get anywhere near that score. After being 40-8, the last three Bays batsmen, David Nash, Chris Small and Scott Rasmussen, added 58 - but even then extras top-scored with 28. Cornwall were unchallenged in making the runs.

Last season's one-day champions, Howick Pakuranga, staggered to 99 against Grafton. Although Grafton looked vulnerable at times, skipper Richard Irving (44 not out) steered them home with four wickets in hand.

In the fourth round of club play on Saturday, Danny Todd and Michael Clarke epitomised the value of experience when they scored centuries.

It was Todd's 12th century in his 15th senior season and his second for his new club, Takapuna. Coming against the very strong Cornwall attack, it might prove to be the most valuable of them all.

Clarke's century was his 20th in 18 seasons for Birkenhead, and by some distance the slowest.

Todd, who previously played for North Shore, missed last season after suffering a near-fatal head injury at the East Coast Bays ground in March 1999.

His innings of 131 took 219 minutes and included 20 fours. It enabled bottom-placed Takapuna to score 228 and put pressure on last season's champion side, who ended the day in trouble at 86 for five.

Clarke remained 105no after being at the crease all day, with most of his runs coming in the last session. Birkenhead ended the day on 307 for seven.

Waitakere City made 312 against Ellerslie after their teenage tailenders, Blair White and Shanthan Naidu, piled on 174 in just 127 minutes. Ellerslie were 78 for five in reply.

In other matches, Suburbs New Lynn (241) had the slight advantage over East Coast Bays (66-3), North Shore (248) had Grafton (73-5) in trouble, Howick Pakuranga (216) put their nose in front of Parnell (42-3), and Eden Roskill (229) and University Akarana (65-3) were evenly poised.