Cricket: Northern benefit from wayward bowling attack

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Northern Districts enjoyed a satisfactory day at the office on the first day of their match against State Championship leaders Auckland on Eden Park's outer oval yesterday.

Without a really big individual innings, the Northern total of 301 for six was fashioned by some sensible batting on a pitch which offered something for the bowlers early but later became a good batting surface.

The Auckland bowlers, apart from Chris Drum, struggled at times to find a consistent line.

Had the umpires been more vigilant on the wide deliveries, the total might have crept even higher.

Left-arm opening bowler Richard Morgan struggled with his direction but was still able at times to produce an almost unplayable delivery.

But, in bowling 16 no-balls and three wides, the Auckland attack gave Northern more than three extra overs.

Their waywardness also contributed to the 20 leg byes.

Choosing to bat first, but losing Matthew Hart leg before to Drum on the third ball of the innings, Northern took time to get started.

James Marshall and Michael Parlane got them through to lunch, and by that time Auckland captain Brooke Walker had called on six bowlers.

After the break, Morgan removed Parlane, who was caught in two minds and succeeding only in playing the ball straight to gully.

Scott Styris was soon into stride. His 50, coming off 68 deliveries, included two sixes and a four from successive deliveries in Walker's second over.

Styris was eventually taken at the wicket by Reece Young off Sanjeeva Silva for 73, which included 11 boundaries and the two sixes off Walker.

Grant Bradburn, with 44, chipped in with his customary middle-order effort before Robbie Hart and Joseph Yovich saw Northern through to a solid position.

That laid the platform from which, sensible cricket prevailing, they should not lose.

* Wickets tumbled regularly at the Basin Reserve as cellar-dwellers Otago battled to stay afloat against Wellington.

Having been dismissed for a meagre 138 - including 59 from allrounder Craig Pryor - Otago's bowlers gave their side a fighting chance of taking first-innings points by reducing the hosts to 74 for five at stumps.

At 62 for two, Wellington seemed on solid footing, but then lost three wickets for 12 runs. David Sewell and Nathan Morland did the damage.

Earlier, former New Zealand fast-medium bowler Andrew Penn spearheaded a strong Wellington bowling effort with four for 45. The other bowlers chipped in along the way.

* Mathew Sinclair hit his second century in as many first-class innings as Central Districts took charge of their game against Canterbury at the Village Green in Christchurch.

Having clubbed 161 off Otago last week, Sinclair continued his preparation for the first test against England next month with an unbeaten 140 as Central reached 267 for three.

He shared stands of 79 for the second wicket with Peter Ingram and 106 for the third with English professional Ben Smith.

He joins Chris Harris, Richard Jones and Matt Horne as players with two hundreds in the championship so far this summer.