Cricket: Six of the best gives first round to Howick

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

A six hit by No 11 batsman Lee Greenwood off the last ball gave Howick Pakuranga double delight with a two-wicket win over East Coast Bays and the Auckland club first-round title.

The easterners needed 128 in 24 overs and four from the last ball for maximum points. Any other result would have handed the trophy to Cornwall, who cruised to a seven-wicket win over Suburbs New Lynn.

Former international left-arm spinner Mark Haslam had earlier bowled Bays into contention with five for 34 as Howick Pakuranga crashed from 47 for two at the start of play to be out for 142.

Trailing by 49, Bays threw caution to the wind in their second innings and scored 176 for eight declared.

This was despite some exceptional bowling by Brad Neilson, who took six for 55 and ended with match figures of 10 for 79.

Cornwall needed 134 from 49 overs to beat Suburbs New Lynn and did it in a canter.

With the top four sides to play for the championship, Parnell held third place with a nine-wicket win over Birkenhead.

The fourth spot went to defending champions Grafton who, having to at least head North Shore's first innings score of 255, completed the task in style.

Grafton's Guy Coleman and Richard Pudney took charge of the match when they added 199 for the third wicket, Coleman making 111 and Pudney 90 - and the city-based side ended with 415.

With points being carried through to the next round for the first-grade title and promotion to the premier division, Papatoetoe have a break of 26.66 points over their nearest rival, Ellerslie.

Waitakere City, who upset predictions to head Cornwall on the first innings, and Auckland University, who headed Howick Pakuranga on the first innings, will join them.