Cricket: Title now set for exciting climax

Auckland and Wellington are set for a showdown at 22 paces in the final round of the domestic championship this month.

Both achieved remarkable wins over Central Districts and Northern Districts respectively yesterday - the third morning of what were supposed to be four-day games - and are clear at the top of the table on 33 points.

Central, who are third on 26 points, host Wellington in Napier in the penultimate round from March 18-21, and Auckland are playing Canterbury in Christchurch.

But barring surprise results in that ninth round, Auckland and Wellington will square off for the State Championship title at Eden Park from March 24-27 in what would be a natural finale to the competition.

Central folded in quick time in Palmerston North yesterday, losing by 116 runs.

Resuming at 57 for six and needing 189 to win, they lost their last four wickets for 15 runs in 11 overs, being dismissed for 72. That was one run more than Auckland managed on the first morning, when the pitch was at its most difficult.

New-ball pair Chris Drum and Andre Adams did the damage, sharing the four wickets yesterday, Drum finishing with four for 21 - eight wickets in the match - and Adams two for 30, while Gareth Shaw had four for 12.

At the Basin Reserve, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming led the way as Wellington made short work of Northern's slim hopes of pulling off a win, stroking his way to an unbeaten 88 as Wellington reached 213 for three, winning by seven wickets.

Fleming shared an impressive third-wicket stand of 99 with Luke Woodcock, who made 38, while Grant Donaldson helped in an undefeated fourth-wicket partnership of 61.

It was a good sign for New Zealand that Fleming, though batting with a runner, appeared to suffer little discomfort from the blow to the hip he took from New Zealand one-day speedster Ian Butler on Monday.