Cricket: Northern tailenders rally to give Aucklanders a scare

Northern Districts might sport the most inept top order in domestic one-day cricket this summer, but their tail is made of sterner stuff.

The defending State Shield champions could not quite recover from their now-customary top order collapse to stop Auckland winning by eight runs in Hamilton last night.

However, in the context of a dreadful season, in which they have lost six of their seven matches, Northern Districts' bold rearguard effort against Auckland was something to savour.

Chasing Auckland's 183, Northern Districts staged a stirring lower-order fightback after they were reduced to 17 for six in the eighth over.

The outcome was in doubt until the final over when, needing 14 to win, they finished on 175 after Mark Orchard was run out off the second ball.

It was a fruitful match for Orchard. The inexperienced all-rounder not only notched his best one-day bowling figures with three for 27 off 10 overs, but emerged as the backbone of the innings, with 79 off 116 balls.

His seventh-wicket partnership of 56 with Bruce Martin (29) was a provincial record against Auckland, as the was the 47-run ninth-wicket partnership with Graeme Aldridge.

The win takes Auckland to third place on the table, though victory was in stark contrast to the 133-run thrashing they dished out to Northern Districts just five days ago.

After seeming set to pocket a bonus point, Auckland sweated their way through the final 10 overs as the Northern Districts tail chipped away at the total.

In New Plymouth, Central Districts thrashed Wellington by seven wickets, and in Timaru, Canterbury beat Otago by 30 runs.

Points: Canterbury 22, Central 18, Auckland 17, Wellington 14, Otago 12, Northern 4.

- NZPA