Cricket: Southee adds his touch to Northern Districts' comeback

Tim Southee. Photo / Getty Images

A day which began badly for Northern Districts ended rather well at Seddon Park yesterday.

Nine balls into the Plunket Shield match, ND had lost experienced lefthanders Daniel Flynn and Anton Devcich, both without scoring to be none for two, and Central Districts' decision to send their hosts' in was looking just peachy.

ND recovered to 287 before Tim Southee whistled out Jamie How and Carl Cachopa with the first two deliveries of CD's innings. Touche, indeed, and CD will start the second day on four for two.

Ben Wheeler is a name which is raised whenever up and coming seamers are discussed. Injury issues have curtailed his involvement at times, but it was the left armer from Blenheim who put the skids under ND early with his second and third deliveries.

A short while later 137 for six did not bode well for ND. Only opener Brad Wilson's doughty four-hour 71, his 20th first-class half century and second 70 in consecutive shield innings, had kept ND afloat to that point.

However Dan Vettori, with some help from his lower order friends, righted the innings.

Vettori was last man out for 78, after 2 hours at the crease, having put on 65 for the ninth wicket with legspinner Ish Sodhi, and 39 for the final wicket with Trent Boult.

English import Peter Trego was the most successful of the CD bowlers. The Somerset allrounder took four for 63, with the wickets shared between five.

However, CD might figure they'd let a strong position slip.

All the more so once Southee had cleared his throat late in the day.