KEY POINTS:
Opener Aaron Redmond scored his first State Shield century as Otago beat Auckland by 39 runs at the Eden Park outer oval yesterday.
Auckland, on something of a scoring high, put the visitors in to bat and must have fancied their chances of bettering Otago's 292 for eight in their 50 overs. But, despite a swashbuckling 82 off 61 balls by test reject Scott Styris, they were all out for 253 in the 46th over.
Redmond dominated Otago's innings, scoring his 106 off 108 balls with 14 fours and a six. It was a chanceless knock and it was something of a surprise when the 28-year-old was fifth out, caught at long-off from the bowling of off-spinner Rob Nicol.
He took a particular fancy to the bowling of Paul Hitchcock, dispatching his brisk medium pace for four fours in an over on his way to his first 50 off 50 balls.
Redmond shared a stand of 85 with Greg Todd (30) for the second wicket and combined with Alex Gidman (24) for 57.
Nathan McCullum hit out strongly with 56 from 39 balls, with five fours and two sixes, and Derek de Boorder contributed a brisk 23.
Best of the Auckland bowlers was Andre Adams, who conceded only 40 runs from his 10 overs and took two wickets. His opening partner, Daryl Tuffey, was also steady until he conceded 20 runs in his final over as McCullum and de Boorder went on a rampage.
Styris showed all his experience with an eclectic mixture that kept the batsmen and umpires busy as he took one for 45 from nine.
Continuing his form from the previous game, Nicol picked up three wickets but fell foul of the one-day wide rule.
Auckland's innings started disastrously with Hitchcock caught behind for a duck off the first ball and Martin Guptill, a century maker in the previous game, out in the same way by the time the score was 19 in the fifth over.
Styris was in touch from the start and raced to 50 off 36 balls and while he was there Auckland were on target. But when he was fourth out, caught off a top-edged pull, after hitting five sixes and nine fours in his 82, the rot set in.
Nicol hit a studious 49 before being run out and the margin of defeat was made respectable only by an Auckland record last-wicket stand of 48 between Tuffey and Roni Hira.
McCullum's figures suffered a little from the Tuffey assault but he snared three wickets for 43 off his 10 overs. Brad Scott's eight overs of bustling left-arm pace cost only 25 runs.
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CD V CANTERBURY
Paceman Michael Mason and batsman Ross Taylor showed encouraging form to the New Zealand selectors in spurring Central Districts to an easy win in New Plymouth.
It was a one-sided affair, with Central Districts passing Canterbury's total of 198 in the 32nd over to win by six wickets, with Taylor scoring a brilliant 95.
Taylor was dropped by the national selectors for the first test against Bangladesh, while Mason was named 12th man and then released from his duties so he could play against Canterbury.
He bowled well in New Zealand's one-day win over Bangladesh at Queenstown on New Year's Eve, and was a constant thorn yesterday for Canterbury, who won the toss but were restricted to 198, their last wicket falling off the last ball of the 50th over.
Mason struck early, removing Michael Papps for five and Corey Anderson for a duck.
Kruger van Wyk topscored for Canterbury with 54 off 78 balls, before Mason bowled him, just after taking Brandon Hiini's wicket.
He finished with four for 32 off 10 overs, while Ewen Thompson took three for 59.
Canterbury got rid of Jamie How early, but Taylor made sure that Mason's good work would not be wasted, with his commanding 95 coming off just 65 balls.
He appreciated Pukekura Park's short boundaries to hit eight fours and six sixes in an entertaining knock, but ruined his chance of a century with a top edge off Iain Robertson's bowling.
Greg Hay hit 37, while most of the Canterbury bowlers suffered from the Taylor onslaught.
Paceman Hamish Bennett took two wickets but conceded 58 runs off his 5.2 overs.
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ND V WELLINGTON
A record stand of 240 for the second wicket set the tone early for Northern Districts before they beat Wellington by 50 runs.
Daniel Flynn and BJ Watling both scored centuries as they collaborated to guide the home side to an imposing 299 for seven at Cobham Oval in Whangarei.
Northern Districts duly secured their first win of the season when disciplined bowling restricted previously unbeaten Wellington to 249 for nine. Left-hander Flynn finished with a career-best 143 off just 117 balls, and right-hander BJ Watling made 108 as they flourished on the back of some fluent strokeplay backed up by smart running between the wickets.
The two 22-year-olds almost doubled the previous best Northern Districts second wicket partnership against allcomers of 126, scored in 1999-2000 by Michael and Neal Parlane, ironically both now members of the Wellington side.
Flynn was the dominant figure, spanking 14 fours and one six as he raced to his maiden domestic one-day century off 93 deliveries.
Opener Watling was more circumspect but rotated the strike intelligently as the pair put the Wellington attack to the sword.
They required only 238 balls as they guided their team from 20 for one to 260 in the 45th over when Flynn finally departed when caught at long off.
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING NZPA
