Cricket: Parlane boys prove their worth

Michael and Neal Parlane, so often Wellington's "go-to boys" this season, again proved their saviours at Eden Park yesterday.

In an innings which lurched from despair to brief periods of hope, the brothers, by various means, gathered almost half of Wellington's 222-8 on the first day of the State Championship final against Auckland.

While modest, that score, in a slightly shortened day's play, might prove more than useful given the already worn nature of the pitch.

It was hardly surprising Wellington captain Matthew Bell, defending the title he and his team won last season, did not hesitate to take first use of a pitch which has probably already been at its best.

Preferred ahead of a drop-in strip which had not flattened out to the liking of the ground staff, the pitch is the same as used a couple of weeks ago for the game between Auckland and Northern Districts.

Devoid of grass and quickly showing signs of wear, it played reasonably well even if the visiting batsmen might disagree.

There was no real pace but the Auckland bowlers were rewarded for their toil - no more so than when, with the Wellington total at 15, they struck three times.

In removing Luke Woodcock, Bell and Sam Fairley, with Andre Adams taking the second and third wickets after Kerry Walmsley had made the initial breakthrough in having Woodcock taken at third slip by Matt Horne, the home side was poised for the early kill.

Michael Parlane was in no hurry to join that party as he and Jesse Ryder played as they know best.

Happy to wait and hit anything loose, they added 65 for the fourth wicket before Parlane gave a faint edge to Reece Young for a third Adams wicket.

Ryder followed at the same score when umpire Tony Hill adjudged him leg before to Walmsley. Hill, apparently, decided the woody sound from the bat came after the ball had hit Ryder's pads.

At 80-5, Wellington turned to Parlane part two to steady what could have quickly become a sinking ship. With Chris Nevin at his belligerent best - he took his score from two to 34 with eight boundaries - they added 54 in 70 minutes and at least some hint of respectability.

Around the same time another of the day's mysteries unfolded when Auckland captain Brooke Walker finally acquainted himself with the ball. Into the attack in the 56th over, after Wellington had reached 109 from their first 50, Walker was immediately on the spot and commanding watchful respect.

His first seven overs realised just 13 runs and a wicket as the Wellington batsmen's struggle continued.

By the time the light had faded sufficiently to persuade the umpires, with three of the day's 90-over allotment remaining, Wellington had reached 222 with Neal Parlane the beacon with his unbeaten 70 scored in 205 minutes from 158 balls and including 12 fours.

The Auckland bowling remained tight throughout with Adams, 4-37 from 19 overs, the best. He was well supported by the energetic Walmsley with three wickets.

While Aaron Barnes, Tama Canning and late in the day Paul Hitchcock had nothing to show for their endeavours, they never flagged in playing their part in an Auckland attack that sent down 78 overs of medium-fast/fast bowling.

But the real poser remains the pitch. Given what Walker found, Wellington, with Woodcock and Jeetan Patel as their spin options, might well look back on a first day's play and applaud themselves.

To make up for the overs lost last evening, play will start at 10.18 this morning.