Cricket: Petrie dishes up another cultured performance

Wellington's veteran cricketing allrounder shows the way against Northern Districts

Had usual Wellington Shell Cup cricket captain Roger Twose been at the Basin Reserve yesterday he would have approved of Richard Petrie's efforts.

Petrie produced a Twose-like all-round performance to provide much of the impetus behind Wellington's four-wicket win over cup holders Northern Districts in a third round encounter.

When Twose was called away to play for New Zealand in the third test against India, which starts in Hamilton today, it required another of the senior players to step up and play as Twose would.

Petrie, 31, did. In 10 overs of medium-pace Petrie wrecked the Northern innings. From 71 for one in the 19th over, with opener Michael Parlane dominant in an innings of 50 from 60 balls, they slid to 96 for seven in the 30th.

Petrie varied his pace to secure four for 13, bowling five maidens.

Northern's total of 156 in 49.2 overs did not look particularly competitive but it took on another dimension when Wellington stumbled to 69 for four in the 21st over.

It needed someone with a cool head, and a desire to compete to ensure Wellington did not blow a splendid chance to beat an opponent that traditionally has proved something of a bogey.

Petrie, a former one-day international, top-scored with 33 in 92 minutes, which eased Wellington to within 18 runs of victory with four wickets remaining. Had there been a man of the match, Petrie would have been the logical recipient.

When Petrie was out, another senior player in Gavin Larsen finished the job with an unbeaten 26.

"Peaches [Petrie] bowled brilliantly," Twose's replacement as captain Jason Wells said.

"Northern were looking quite threatening with Michael Parlane batting well till Richard turned the game."

Petrie's competitiveness resulted in a potentially explosive incident. In the 37th over he ran out Northern batsman Grant Bradburn at the non-strikers' end when he walked out of his ground.

It is a legitimate method of dismissing a batsman but it is considered against the spirit of the game.

Umpire Bill Sommer asked Petrie if he was serious in appealing for a run out, and before the matter went any further Wells rushed over, and told Sommer Wellington were not interested in removing Bradburn in that fashion.

"In my first time captaining Wellington there was no way I wanted anything like that to happen," Wells said.

"Richard was within his rights to do what he did. He had warned Grant a couple of times before for backing up too far."