Cricket: Mills and Nash turn match on its head

Wellington cricket coach Vaughn Johnson went in to bat for his jaded, injury-troubled bowlers last night after Dion Nash and Kyle Mills had used theirs to lift Auckland off the canvas and back into an absorbing Shell Trophy scrap at the Basin Reserve.

When Mills joined Nash at the crease after lunch, Auckland were on the ropes at 109 for seven in their second innings.

With a overall lead of just 63 and the Wellington attack humming, it looked like Auckland would struggle to last day three, let alone go the full distance.

But by stumps Mills, unbeaten on 107, and Nash, not long out for exactly 100, had guided Auckland to 317 for eight, an overall lead of 271, and it was Wellington taking all the punches.

The dangerous Andre Adams was undefeated on seven when stumps were drawn.

With another bland Basin Reserve pitch getting lower and slower and taking turn to interest leg-spinner Brooke Walker, Auckland will fancy their chances of pulling off a remarkable outright victory today.

Johnson admitted it was disappointing his attack could not finish Auckland off, but would not hear a harsh word spoken against his sore bowlers.

He revealed that the injury-prone Carl Bulfin was struggling with tendonitis in both knees, while strike bowling partner Andrew Penn had needed a pain-killing injection.

Penn has ripped a "big chunk" of skin off the outside of his foot and was clearly below full pace and effectiveness.

Like all five bowlers used by Wellington captain Matthew Bell, Penn's line drifted on either side of the wicket and Nash and Mills cashed in.

Johnson did not want Wellington's loose bowling to detract from Nash and Mills' potentially match-winning partnership of 185.

When Nash was caught at mid-on by Bell off Bulfin's bowling, it ended the gritty stand just four runs shy of the record Auckland eighth-partnership set by William Carson and Alexander Matheson, also against Wellington, in the 1938-39 season.

"If I was in Auckland coach Tony Sail's camp I'd be very proud of them both," Johnson said. "Of course I hated every single moment of it, but they deserve a big pat on the back because they were two of the best innings I've seen since I've been in first-class cricket."

Resuming at 16 for one, Auckland were in deep trouble when Bulfin bowled opener Blair Pocock and medium-pacer Iain O'Brien yorked Richard King and had No 3 John Aiken caught behind off consecutive overs.

Rookie Black Cap James Franklin then chimed in by removing Lou Vincent and Walker to catches behind the wicket before offspinner Jeetan Patel trapped Tana Canning to really ruin Auckland's lunch.

But the bowlers blew a gasket after lunch and Wellington will have their work cut out with the bat today to achieve the outright win which had looked so certain.

Mills, who struck 13 boundaries in his 255-minute, 197-ball stay, easily surpassed his previous highest first-class score - an unbeaten 81 against Wellington on Eden Park No 2 last summer.

The 21-year-old's gutsy innings came after being sidelined for eight weeks with his wrist broken during Auckland's Max campaign late last year.

"My shot selection was a bit limited because of the wrist and when I first went out, the ball was reverse swinging and keeping low," Mills said. "It actually got easier when they took the new ball because it carried through. It was just awesome to bat with Dion and turn it around and give ourselves a good chance of winning."

- NZPA