Cricket: Trophy wins give contest new life

By Terry Maddaford/NZPA

Quick-fire outright victories to Central Districts, Auckland and Wellington on the fourth day of the third round have thrown the Shell Trophy race wide open.

Auckland hammered old rivals Canterbury by 10 wickets despite losing the whole of the first day of the game at Rangiora's Dudley Park, while Central upset previous front-runners Northern Districts by the same margin at Victoria Park.

Left-handed opening batsman Phil Chandler smashed 150 runs off 161 balls to propel Wellington to a three-wicket victory against Otago in Oamaru. Wellington secured the dramatic win with nine balls to spare after they were asked to score 323 in 68 overs.

Central, with 12 points, have taken a two point lead over Northern with Auckland, Wellington and Otago all tied on eight points.

Northern resumed their second innings yesterday morning at 55 for one, needing to reach 180 to ensure the home side would bat a second time.

James Marshall and Mark Bailey began well enough before Marshall fell leg before to the injury-hampered Andrew Penn for 39.

While there were pockets of resistance, only captain Robbie Hart, with 47 - before he too was adjudged leg before - showed true grit in the face of some steady rather than spectacular bowling.

Jacob Oram was the most miserly of the Central bowlers, his 10 overs conceding just 10 runs and earning him two wickets. Needing just 15 to win, Central cantered home

Canterbury were rocked from the start of play yesterday. From eight for one (when bad light cut the third day short), they were skittled - 41 for nine at one stage - by a fired-up Auckland pace attack.

Kerry Walmsley, who has battled injury for much of the season, bagged four for 15 from 10 overs while Chris Drum picked up three for 13 from 13 to take his match haul to nine for 65.

Aaron Barnes did his bit in grabbing three for 27 from 10 as Canterbury slumped to be all out for 62 - their lowest score ever against Auckland beating the previous worst of 72 set 125 years ago.

Chandler, who leaves New Zealand today for Britain on his overseas experience, thought the challenge laid down by Otago captain Robbie Lawson was beyond Wellington.

"I thought it was too hard a task...unrealistic. I think possibly if they gave us more overs with the same target we may have batted differently. As it was we had to play some shots and we played like a one-day game," he said.

Otago looked to be firmly in control at stumps yesterday when they were 47 without loss in their second innings, holding an overall advantage of 172.

Otago had reason for optimism when Grant Donaldson was dismissed for eight but their joy was shortlived as Chandler and Jason Wells, whose contribution was 51, combined in a second-wicket partnership of 141.

Wellington rarely allowed the required run rate to slip below four an over, and the winning runs were hit by Leigh Kelly when he hit a four through the covers off David Sewell.