Cricket: Woeful Northern batting brings downfall

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The hex Wellington have had on Northern Districts this season continued at Smallbone Park in Rotorua yesterday with Northern's dismal batting leading to their downfall.

On a pitch which had originally been deemed unplayable after heavy rain on the strip exposed by vandals on Monday night, Wellington, the State Shield leaders, led by a career-high one-day score of 78 not out from Richard Jones, cruised home with seven wickets and 14 overs to spare.

In heading Northern's paltry 151 so quickly, Wellington bagged their third bonus point in six games to stretch their shield lead over Northern, to seven points.

In their last meeting, Northern scored just 127 in reply to Wellington's 206. The losses to Wellington remain Northern's only failures this season.

The Rotorua pitch played better, albeit a trifle more slowly, than most had anticipated but Northern struggled to ever get anything going after deciding to bat first.

The gamble in taking that initiative on a pitch which in the past has become an easier proposition later in the match - and Wellington's effort supported that theory - backfired.

There were lessons aplenty elsewhere for Northern ahead of tomorrow's game against Central Districts in New Plymouth.

In trouble virtually from the time Simon Doull departed with just 16 runs in the Northern bank - from a horrible mix-up with James Marshall who called for a run which was never on - they struggled.

Those woes continued with Jaden Hatwell and Joseph Yovich also run out. The calling and running between the wickets are issues coach Bruce Blair promises to address before tomorrow's game.

Apart from a patient 37 in 93 minutes from Grant Bradburn, no other batsman got beyond 20. The slow pace of the pitch was an obvious factor.

Mark Bailey, as one example, spooned a catch to Mark Jefferson from a ball which simply did not arrive.

The lack of pace was a bonus for Matthew Walker, whose medium pace was particularly effective. Into the attack to bowl the 16th over, Walker quickly had Hamish Marshall trapped leg before. Two overs later he ended Grant Robinson's 57-minute stay.

Walker's first five-over spell realised two for two and had the home side on the ropes at 59 for five from 24 overs.

Defending just 151 was going to need a huge effort, notably tight bowling and smart fielding. There was a hint of the latter when Hamish Marshall ran Wellington captain Mathew Bell out for one with the score at 15. But the tight, containing, bowling was simply not there.

Yovich went for 21 from his first two overs including a couple of no-balls.

Generally, the accuracy the situation demanded, apart from Bradburn, who sent down his mandatory 10 overs for just 28 runs and picked up a wicket, was never evident.

Jones, tentative at the start, blossomed and finished it off in style with his unbeaten 78 in 127 minutes including eight fours and the only six of the match. His previous best was 62.

Jones and Donaldson added 87 in the unbroken fourth-wicket partnership. The win almost certainly assures Wellington of their place in the final.

* Auckland got up with nine balls to spare to beat Central Districts by four wickets in New Plymouth. Former one-day international Llorne Howell crunched 106 not out to steer the visitors home.

Chasing Central's 258 for nine, of which English professional Ben Smith spanked 83 in 103 balls, Howell provided the anchor, scoring his runs off 144 balls with 14 fours and a six.

Howell and Matt Horne laid the perfect platform by sharing a 108-run stand in just 13 overs, Horne's 68 coming off only 46 balls, 15 of which he hit to the fence.

* Otago closed to within one point of Canterbury on the points table with their 18-run win over Canterbury in a game reduced by overnight rain to 37 overs in Oamaru.

Otago reached 156 for eight, Craig Cumming contributing 41, and Canterbury were struggling throughout after Kerry Walmsley did the early damage.

Canterbury have 11 points, Otago 10, although both are well adrift of leaders Wellington on 25 and ND on 18. Auckland have eight and CD six.