Cricket: Record stand for Auckland opening pair

Martin Guptill was in the runs for Auckland as he prepares for the series against Australia. Photo / Greg Bowker

A record opening partnership between Martin Guptill and Glenn Phillips was today enough to keep Auckland on top of the Ford Trophy table.

Guptill and Phillips put on 208 for the first wicket in a rain-affected four-run win over Central Districts, a 50-over record for Auckland against all provinces.

Phillips was the first to bring up his century at Eden Park outer oval, with the highly-rated 20-year-old soon being dismissed for 102 from 89 balls, while Guptill warmed up for the Black Caps' ODI series against Australia by cracking 112 from 95.

Both batsmen were dismissed by Blair Tickner but by then the groundwork had been laid, with Auckland eventually reaching 392-3.

Led by George Worker's unbeaten knock of 107 and assisted by half-centuries from Tom Bruce (50) and Dane Cleaver (77no), Central Districts were progressing well in their chase when the heavens opened in the 35th over, but their total of 249-3 proved barely insufficient in the Duckworth-Lewis calculations.

Elsewhere, Wellington kept pace with Auckland atop the standings, recording their own rain-interrupted win over Canterbury at the Basin Reserve. After the game was reduced to 27 overs-a-side and Wellington compiled 166-6, Canterbury were caught 10 runs short of their D/L target when rain stopped play with the visitors on 123-6 in the 23rd over.

And, rounding out the top three places after four rounds, Northern Districts thrashed Otago by 125 runs in Whangarei, with Dean Brownlie's 71 setting up a total of 259 and Zak Gibson's 4-31 helping dismiss the Volts for 134.