Cricket: Wagner ruins Auckland chances

Wellington's Luke Woodcock at the crease during the Plunket Shield match with Northern Districts yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

The good news for New Zealand is that Neil Wagner will be eligible to play for them next year. The bad news for Auckland yesterday was that the South African-born left-arm bowler is in the form of his life.

Wagner took career-best figures of six wickets for 50 as he sliced the top off the Auckland second innings and left Otago with 197 to win their Plunket Shield game at Colin Maiden Park.

They will resume this morning on 154 for four with 43 to score to take the outright points from Auckland. Not out are Neil Broom on 28 and Derek de Boorder on 12.

Auckland, who enjoyed a six-run first-innings lead, began the day at 20 for two, with Wagner having dismissed the openers. Bowling at a lively pace, he quickly humbled Auckland's top order as they slumped to 45 for five. At that stage he had five for 26 off 17 overs, including nine maidens.

Andrew de Boorder was again caught by his older brother Derek behind the stumps for 12, Greg Todd was leg before first ball, completing a pair against his old team, and Colin de Grandhomme was caught in the deep from an over-ambitious shot.

Stiff resistance came from an unlikely source, bowler Gareth Shaw, who had been sent in as a night watchman. He watched his more illustrious partners come and go, then shared a partnership of 53 with Anaru Kitchen.

He defied the Otago attack for three hours before he was out in bizarre fashion for 39, his highest first-class score. He played a ball from left-arm spinner Nick Beard to Darren Broom close in, but lost his balance and was run out by a quick throw that broke the stumps.

By then Auckland were 104 and brisk contributions from Andre Adams (22), Bhupinder Singh (20) and captain Kyle Mills (34 not out) saw Otago needing 197 to win.

The Southerners began briskly with Aaron Redmond scoring 50 at a run a ball. The momentum slowed when he departed one run later, caught at mid-on off Mills, who also dismissed Darren Broom to keep Auckland in with a chance.

Meanwhile, Northern Districts seamer Graeme Aldridge continued his rich form at the Basin Reserve, as Wellington struggled to 147 for six.

They trail ND by 48 runs, after the defending champions were all out for 469 shortly after lunch.

Aldridge finished the day with 3-25 off 11 overs, picking up Wellington's first three wickets by the 18th over.

In Napier, a gritty 90-run sixth-wicket partnership between Andrew Ellis and rookie Tom Latham revived Canterbury hopes. However, a late-innings wicket blitz from Central Districts meant Canterbury ended the day on 256 for eight to take a slim 64-run lead into the final day today.

Ellis and New Zealand under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman Latham came together with the dismissal of Dean Brownlie for 25, caught by Mathew Sinclair at first slip off the last ball of Central captain Jamie How's opening over.

- Additional reporting NZPA