KEY POINTS:
Auckland had Mayu Pasupati to thank for avoiding an embarrassing opening day of their championship match against Otago in Dunedin yesterday.
Pasupati, long considered a one-day specialist, bludgeoned 76 not out from 73 balls to lift Auckland to 226 in their first innings, pulling Auckland out of a mess at 129 for eight.
The 30-year-old allrounder, in just his fourth first-class outing, belted 13 fours and two sixes after Auckland's recognised batting lineup disintegrated against a hard-working Otago bowling attack. At stumps, Otago were 10 for none when bad light cut the day short.
Auckland, fourth on the table on 20 points, went into the State Championship match needing an outright victory against bottom-placed Otago to have any chance of qualifying for the final and certainly began their innings with positive intent.
Captain Richard Jones hit a quick 21 before being dismissed, Martin Guptill made a duck and lefthander Tim McIntosh did not last long either. Rob Nicol got to 27 and Colin De Grandhomme 30 but that was it until Pasupati came to the rescue. Bradley Scott and James McMillan picked up four wickets apiece.
CD V Canterbury
Peter Ingram's fourth century of the championship put second-bottom Central Districts in a powerful position against final hopefuls Canterbury in Napier.
Ingram had received the selectorial cold shoulder at the start of the competition. He was denied a contract and missed the first two rounds, but since getting the call has rattled on centuries against Canterbury (three times) and Auckland. Yesterday he clubbed 159 as CD reached 375 for six at stumps. His average for the season is up to 61.6 and his aggregate stands at 616 runs.
Canterbury's youthful bowling attack helped Ingram on his way, as he shared a 79-run opening stand with Jamie How. How was bowled for 34 by 16-year-old Corey Anderson, on his debut and who joined an elite table of New Zealanders to make their opening first-class appearance at that age.
Mathew Sinclair contributed 78 to a 175-run second wicket stand before Ingram was dismissed, having faced 210 balls and hit 18 fours and a six. Canterbury made some headway late in the day but face an uphill job to get the win they need to have a chance of making the final.
Wellington V ND
Wellington recovered from an ordinary start at the Basin Reserve to be well positioned at 301 for eight in their battle with Northern Districts to host the championship final.
ND hold a four-point advantage over Wellington and Canterbury going into the match.
Their seamers reduced Wellington to 34 for three, before Michael and Neal Parlane resurrected the innings with a 78-run stand.
Neal Parlane went on to make 97 and with solid efforts down the order from Stu Mills, who finished 54 not out and Chris Nevin with 59, Wellington are in decent shape to put the heat on ND today. Graeme Aldridge and Te Ahu Davis both picked up three wickets.
Cricket's Youngest Guns
Canterbury teenager Corey Anderson yesterday became the eighth youngest New Zealander to play first-class cricket. The New Zealand under 19 representative is the youngest in 59 years since former test batsman Noel McGregor played for Otago against Fiji.
15 years 224 days - Ces Dacre, Auckland v Wellington, 1914/15
15/272 - Frederick Midlane, Wellington v Hawke's Bay, 1898/99
15/319 - Arthur Ollivier, Canterbury v Otago, 1866/67
16/36 - John Hartland, Canterbury v Otago, 1877/78
16/84 - Charles Broad, Nelson v Wellington 1888/89
16/86 - Noel McGregor, Otago v Fiji, 1947/48
16/87 - Life Dacre, Auckland v Wellington, 1912/13
16/89 - Corey Anderson, Canterbury v Central Districts, 2006/07
- NZPA
