KEY POINTS:
Paul Hitchcock helped Auckland snatch the season's first win in the State Shield one-day competition when he blasted a six off the last ball for a three-wicket win over Otago at the Eden Park Outer Oval yesterday.
After Otago set Auckland a target of 258, Neil Wagner removed Colin De Grandhomme for 11 in the final over.
Auckland had three balls and still needed two runs for the win.
Roneel Hira poked a single off the next ball to tie the scores and bring Hitchcock on strike, but the former one-day international couldn't score off the penultimate delivery.
Wagner gambled with a short ball in his final delivery but Hitchcock latched on to it, sending it over the rope and taking the score to 263 for seven.
The result also denied Otago second place in the competition. They are one point behind Northern Districts who lost to leaders Central, yesterday. In the other match Canterbury cruised to an easy win over Wellington.
Otago were sent in to bat and were bowled out for 257 in 48.5 overs.
Test bowler Chris Martin took four for 33 with Daryl Tuffey, Hira, Hitchcock and Steven Croft getting one wicket apiece.
There were useful contributions from Craig Cumming, 41, Greg Todd, 39 and Derek de Border 35 to back up a 75 not out from former England one-day specialist Dimitri Mascarenhas.
Auckland lost opener Reece Young in the seventh over with their score on 28 but Martin Guptill, 58, and Richard Jones settled things down with a 76-run partnership for the second wicket before Jones departed for 54.
Steven Croft and Hitchcock put Auckland back in the running with a crucial 69-run partnership from the 39th over.
* Central Districts cruised to a six-wicket win over Northern Districts at Palmerston North.
Chasing Northern District's total of 256, Central's win was set up by openers George Worker and Peter Ingram whose 161-run partnership eclipsed the previous record of 156 for the first wicket set by Craig Spearman and Jamie How against Canterbury in the 2003/04 season.
Northern opted to bat first and got off to a good start with Hamish Marshall and BJ Watling compiling a 110-run partnership.
Leg spinner Robbie Marshall finally broke through, snaring Hamish Marshall for 57, caught by by Mathew Sinclair for the first of his two wickets - the other was Marshall's twin, James, for 35.
Left arm spinner Worker also starred with the ball, taking the wickets of Watling for 65 and wicketkeeper McGlashan for 13 while conceding 30 runs.
Worker, 19, hit seven fours as he chalked up his half century off 72 balls and went on to 82 before being bowled.
Despite the loss, Northern remain second in the table.
- NZPA
