Cricket: Walmsley on song

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY and NZPA

When he arrived at Eden Park yesterday morning to prepare Auckland for their match against Wellington, coach Mark O'Donnell wasn't even sure who would be lining up.

He had lost strike bowler Kyle Mills through a shoulder injury sustained in the earlier match against Pakistan; Tama Canning had opted out with a sore wrist and shoulder; Andre Adams had a back problem that needed a scan; and opening pair Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent were away with the New Zealand side.

When everything finally settled down in the Auckland camp, young Papatoetoe opener Shane Singe was in the side to make his State Championship debut, former international Llorne Howell was returned to the first-class scene and Craig Pryor had recovered enough from injury to make up the XI.

At stumps, Auckland were struggling at 39 for three in reply to Wellington's 201.

O'Donnell was relieved when skipper Brooke Walker won the toss, especially with the limited attack to back up Kerry Walmsley, and he was over the moon when Auckland gave Wellington first use of the pitch and then got rid of their skipper, Matthew Bell, for a duck, bowled by Paul Hitchcock with just six on the board.

Next man in, Michael Parlane, looked dangerous until Hitchcock bowled a perfect cutter that took his off stump out of the ground.

Grant Donaldson followed soon after, bowled by Walmsley, and Wellington had problems.

But with the calm Luke Woodcock at one end and the hard-hitting Neil Parlane at the other they started to put together a useful partnership, until Parlane shouldered arms to Walmsley and was bowled for 40.

With James Franklin and Chris Nevin batting soundly in each making 34, Wellington managed to compile a competitive total.

Walmsley bowled 18 overs at pace and took four for 45, Hitchcock was accurate in taking three for 27, but leg-spinner Walker looked the most dangerous of the attack when he followed on from his five-wicket bag against Pakistan with two for 28 off 16 overs.

The wicket was not offering much bounce, but the Wellington opening attack of Andrew Penn and Franklin were soon into the Auckland batting, Franklin having Tim McIntosh caught by keeper Nevin for two.

Singe looked useful until he edged a ripper of a delivery from Penn to slips and was out for 12, and there was a further setback when two balls later Matt Horne did not offer a shot to Penn and was bowled.

Howell and Rob Nicol managed to stave off further trouble, but Wellington will feel they have made up some of the ground lost by their batsmen.

* Ball dominated bat as 13 wickets fell in the clash between Central Districts and Canterbury at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North.

The main beneficiaries were Canterbury, who dismissed the home side for 196 and reached 104 for three in reply by stumps.

Canterbury's third captain in three games, international Chris Harris, made the right decision by asking Central to bat.

No one quite knew how the re-laid pitch would behave in the first four-day match at the ground for two seasons.

It had enough life in it to trouble most of the Central batsmen and they were dismissed by mid-afternoon, after having gone to lunch at 88 for three.

The anchor of the Central innings was New Zealand batsman Mathew Sinclair, who watched a procession of his team-mates depart.

He top-scored with 62 off 151 balls, including nine fours.

Sinclair could probably have stayed longer had he played conservatively.

Former New Zealand batsman Craig Spearman played attacking shots to make 31, Ross Taylor hit a quick 25 and Michael Mason produced a late flourish to reach 25 not out.

Stephen Cunis took four for 69, opening partner and former New Zealand bowler Chris Martin three for 41 and Harris picked up a cheap three for 15 in 8.1 overs.

Gary Stead and Harris were on 16 and 25 respectively at stumps.

* Warren McSkimming gave Otago the early advantage on a rain-ruined first day of their match against Northern Districts at Carisbrook.

The hard-working medium-pacer claimed all the wickets as Northern Districts battled to 41 for three in the 24 overs of play possible.

Northern won the toss, but they struggled in the three short periods possible before play was abandoned at 5.30pm.

McSkimming had wickets in his second, fifth and sixth overs as he made inroads into the Northern top-order.

He ended the day with three for 16 off nine overs.