Cricket World Cup: Munro gives side fighting chance

Auckland batsman Colin Munro. Photo / Richard Robinson

A run-a-ball century from hard-hitting Colin Munro left Auckland well-positioned to push for victory on the final day of their Plunket Shield clash with Canterbury today.

Auckland start the final day at Colin Maiden Park on 361 for five, holding an overall lead of 315.

Victory would return them to the top of the first-class competition ladder, after being bumped off that perch by Northern Districts when they beat Central Districts on Monday.

Auckland started the day 29 without loss, still trailing Canterbury by 17.

However opener Jeet Raval settled in to make 67, completing a handy match double after his first innings of 47, in three and a half hours.

Pugnacious lefthander Munro and Robbie O'Donnell put on 103 for the fourth wicket, before Munro found good support from allrounder Donovan Grobbelaar in a 79-run stand for the fifth.

Munro, who rarely faces more balls than he scores runs, completed his seventh first-class hundred in 98 balls when he was dismissed for 137 off 138 balls, including 10 fours and seven sixes. Legspinner Todd Astle and Ed Nuttall shared all five wickets.

The timing of Auckland's declaration today will be interesting.

They'll want to have Canterbury stretched to chase the target, but not so much that they shut the door on the idea and hunker down for a drawn result.

Wellington's game against Otago at Queenstown was called off at tea yesterday, going nowhere, with Wellington 255 for five in their second innings, leading by 301 overall.

Wellington veteran Michael Papps scored 110, his 26th first-class hundred in a lengthy career.

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