Cricket: Spearman turns the tables

A memorable unbeaten 117 by Central Districts captain Craig Spearman guided his team to a last-over four-wicket victory against Auckland in Blenheim yesterday.

After dismissing Auckland for 156 in their second innings, Central were left the improbable task of scoring 252 to win off a minimum of 32 overs.

Their run chase livened up a match which had produced barely two runs an over from the previous day-and-a-half's play.

Spearman and promoted opener Greg Loveridge set about their task with an enthusiasm that obviously took Auckland by surprise.

The pair smashed 56 from the first six overs and when Loveridge (27) departed, 63 had come off just 8.2 overs.

Spearman, with good support through the order from Mathew Sinclair and Glen Sulzberger, orchestrated the chase superbly, working the ball cleverly around the big Horton Park field, then unleashing a stream of booming shots which included seven sixes and two fours.

With four overs remaining, 29 were still needed. Auckland missed their chance when Gareth Shaw, then Richard King, dropped Spearman in the deep from a Brooke Walker's bowling.

Spearman, a former test and one-day opener, rated it the best first-class innings he has played in chasing runs for a win.

He got excellent support from Sinclair, Sulzberger - who hit a valuable 48 - and Andrew Schwass, with 20.

Central Districts needed 10 from the final two overs and Peter Ingram hit the winning boundary.

Kyle Mills was the pick of an Auckland bowling attack missing the injured Heath Davis.

Earlier, King played a useful hand with 47 in Auckland's second innings and Mills and Davis looked to have guided them to safety by adding 47 for the last wicket.

Sulzberger took three for 51 from 30 overs, while Schwass was the most successful in bagging four for 44 from 20.3 overs.


- NZPA