Cricket: Nash out for duck as Auks crumble

Dion Nash's first crack at a new career as a specialist batsman proved a flop as his Auckland side were rolled for 146 by Northern Districts on the opening day of their Shell Trophy cricket match in Hamilton yesterday.

Nash made a duck in an innings in which no batsman scored more than 27.

On a pitch which did not give the bowlers as much assistance as the scoreboard indicated, Auckland failed to show much spirit against an ND bowling attack which bent their backs and regularly troubled their opponents with short-pitched deliveries.

But in reply, the defending trophy champions lost openers James Marshall and Michael Parlane with the score at seven, and Neal Parlane soon after.

Rain and bad light saw the hosts finish the day 45 minutes early at 26 for three.

ND seamer Graham Aldridge captured his best first-class figures of five for 50 off 19 overs and was ably assisted by Joseph Yovich (3-51).

After being sent in, the Auckland opening pair of captain Blair Pocock and Tim McIntosh made a cautious start, putting on 42 for the first wicket.

But after Simon Doull captured his only wicket of the innings by trapping Pocock leg-before, Auckland lost their way - and their next six wickets for just 44 runs.

Nash, batting at No 5 and keen to push for a spot in the Black Caps as a specialist batsman with his ongoing back problems putting his seam bowling on hold, faced 26 balls in 36 minutes, but departed without scoring when he edged a Yovich bouncer to wicketkeeper Robbie Hart.

Some late hitting from Richard Morgan (26 from 19 balls) and a 24-run partnership for the final wicket between Chris Drum (11 not out) and Mark Haslam (13) bolstered their paltry efforts before Morgan and Drum made immediate inroads into ND's reply.

In Wanganui, early honours went Central Districts' way on the opening day of their match with Otago.

Central dismissed Otago for 175 and at stumps had made an impressive start at 65 for one.

The coach of the home side, Dipak Patel, described the pitch by the end of the day as "pretty placid."

Otago were in early trouble, slumping to 48 for five 90 minutes after the start of play.

New captain and New Zealand opener Matthew Horne battled for 28 at the top of the order before he became the first of Northland import Ewen Thompson's three victims in his trophy debut.

Wicketkeeper Martin Croy and Craig Prior restored some respectability, adding 78 for the sixth wicket in the only Otago partnership of substance.

Croy was eventually last out with his score on 78, his demise indicative of Otago's batting woes.

In Wellington, the third day of the match between Wellington and Canterbury was washed out.

Play has been possible only on the first day, when Wellington scored 314 for four.

- NZPA