KEY POINTS:
The annual debate over whether Mathew Sinclair should play for New Zealand is sure to be revived after the Central Districts batsman dominated the opening exchanges of the first class cricket season yesterday.
Sinclair was unbeaten on 189 after the first day of their State Championship match against Otago in Napier, an enormous influence on Central's 304 for five.
It was a consummate innings which underlined all the mercurial talent which has won Sinclair a legion of supporters but which has not always been appreciated by the national selectors.
With the New Zealand batsmen struggling in South Africa, Sinclair's masterful knock was a reminder of his ability to score big hundreds.
Certainly, without him, Central would have been in enormous trouble after openers Geoff Barnett and Peter Ingram both scored ducks, as did No 4 Tim Weston. At 57 for four, captain Bevan Griggs would have regretted his decision to bat first but he joined Sinclair in putting on 164 for the fifth wicket before falling for 69.
Tim Lythe, a transfer player from Auckland, was unbeaten on 24 but most interest today will centre on whether Sinclair can raise his double century - and add to his 21 fours in the process.
CANTERBURY V AUCKLAND
It wasn't spectacular, but Auckland laid the groundwork for a sizeable total on the first day of their State Championship cricket match at the Village Green in Christchurch.
Auckland captain Richard Jones won the toss and personally made sure it was the right decision to bat first, scoring 80 as his team reached 259 for four by stumps.
Jones and fellow-opener Tim McIntosh were untroubled in compiling a 135-run opening stand which featured the most positive batting of the day.
Both struck 12 boundaries before Jones fell, followed soon afterwards by McIntosh for 76.
Jones was aggressive, reaching his score from just 115 balls, but the same couldn't be said of his following teammates.
Martin Guptill scored 40 at a less-than-steady rate while Rob Nicol was even more patient in reaching 41 by stumps.
Gareth Hopkins, who will join the New Zealand team for the one-day series against South Africa next week, failed to score before he was bowled by Canterbury's best bowler Andy Ellis.
Ellis took two for 13 from 11 overs, relying on an accuracy which frustrated Jones in particular, who struck out and was caught at mid-on.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS V WELLINGTON
Ball dominated bat as the visitors took regular wickets until Graeme Aldridge and Brent Arnel, at the bottom of the order, arrived at the crease taking their team to 219 for nine before rain ended play prematurely.
The pair saw out the last hour of play, compiling 45 runs off 15 overs - the biggest partnership of the day - to spare their team's blushes.
Opener BJ Watling top-scored for Northern with 56, which included 10 boundaries, but Mark Orchard's 33 was the only other contribution of note among the top order. Both fell to the medium pace of Jesse Ryder, who was one of four Wellington bowlers to snare a brace. Just 89 overs were possible before wet weather set in.
