KEY POINTS:
Lou Vincent gave a gentle reminder of his abilities with a polished century as Auckland overpowered Canterbury in a State Shield cricket match yesterday.
A victim of the selectors' revolving door policy with specialist batsmen in the New Zealand team this summer, Vincent finally responded to the rebuff by smacking a belligerent 129 at QEII Park in Christchurch.
His third one-day century for the province propelled Auckland to an imposing 303 for six from their 50 overs, a total they comfortably defended when restricting Canterbury to 265 for seven.
Vincent, 28, put on 106 for the second wicket with captain Richard Jones before a swashbuckling 52 from Kyle Mills upped the ante in the latter overs.
Jones' contribution was a run-a-ball 69 then Mills took over, swatting his half-century from just 29 deliveries, including four fours and two sixes.
Vincent was instrumental in setting the platform for Mills to manhandle the Canterbury attack, reaching his 50 off 49 balls and passing three figures from 114.
By the time he was dismissed, Auckland were at 254 for five in the 47th over. Vincent's departure, after hitting 19 boundaries, set alight Mills, who took to the bowlers with glee.
None of the Canterbury bowlers was spared, Iain Robertson proving the best with figures of three for 58 off 10 overs.
Canterbury's chase began badly when Michael Papps was an early run out victim but their reply was given substance by half-centuries from Chris Harris and Kruger van Wyk.
The result saw Auckland reclaim the competition lead.
- NZPA
