Cricket: ND primed for final

CHRISTCHURCH - Northern Districts should be primed for the Shell Trophy cricket final after mauling Canterbury.

Trailing by 109 runs on the first innings, Northern struck back to dismiss Canterbury for a paltry 139.

The Northern batsmen then raced to their 249-run target with six wickets to spare, ending the match before lunch yesterday.

Northern left-arm spinner Bruce Martin claimed six cheap wickets in Canterbury's second innings, finishing the match with 11 for 132.

Martin should also be looking forward to the five-day trophy final against Auckland, which starts at Taupo on Sunday. Earlier this season he claimed 12 Auckland scalps at the same venue.

Kuggeleijn said his side had "played poorly for two days and very well for four sessions" against Canterbury and would have to start positively in the final.

Canterbury coach Garry MacDonald, who had waited all season for his players to establish a first-innings advantage, watched in horror as they frittered it away.

* In the other trophy game, Wellington beat Otago by nine wickets inside three days. - NZPA