File photo – South African batsman Chad Bowes scored a career-best 155 to help Canterbury set Auckland 361 to win © Getty Images
Medium-pacers Kyle Jamieson and Ed Nuttall shared 16 wickets between them to lead Canterbury to a narrow 10-run win over Auckland in Rangiora.
Auckland captain Rob Nicol had put Canterbury in on the first day, and his seamers took nine wickets in bowling them out for 245. Aucland had a shaky start, losing three wickets by stumps on the first day, courtesy a late burst by Jamieson. On the second day, a 56-run fifth wicket partnership between debutant SM Solia (49) and Brad Cachopa (23), and a 94-run stand for the eighth wicket between Colin Munro – who scored an unbeaten 108 in 86 balls while batting with the tail – and Lockie Ferguson (41) helped them go past Canterbury’s total, despite Jamieson’s career-best 8 for 74.
Canterbury’s intent in the second innings was lead by their top three batsmen putting on 295 between them. Debutant, opener, Jack Boyle scored 81 in putting on 167 with Chad Bowes for the opening stand. Bowes then scored a career-best 155, as he put on 128 with Peter Fulton (72) for the second wicket. They scored at 4.16 per over, before declaring on 400 and setting Auckland 361 to win. Legspinner Tarun Nethula took his third five-wicket haul of the season and finished with 5 for 128.
In their chase, Auckland reached 290 for 4 through fifties by Michael Guptill-Bunce (67), Mark Chapman (81) and Cachopa (75*). But a late burst by Nuttall (5-67) and Jamieson (3-86) saw them lose their last four wickets for nine runs to be bowled out for 350 and hand Canterbury a narrow win that put them in second place.
Half-centuries from Bharat Popli and Nick Kelly helped Northern Districts stave off defeat against Central Districts on the fourth and final day of their Plunkett Shield fixture in Napier. Chasing 450, Central Districts blunted out 129 overs to make 295 for 7 when play ended.
Central Districts, who elected to bat, were bowled out for 225, with Will Young’s 61 being the highest score of the innings. Ajaz Patel, the left-arm spinner, then took 5 for 22 in 17.2 overs to skittle Northen Districts out for 153. Tom Bruce (115) and Dane Clever (108*) struck centuries to build on Central Districts’ 70-run lead. Their 176-run stand for the fourth wicket helped extend the lead over 400, before they declared on 377 for 5 in 86 overs.
Going into the final day, Northern Districts, on 105 for 2, had the task of either surviving the entire day or scoring 345 more to pull off an unlikely win. They were in some trouble at 162 for 5, before some lower-order defiance helped them secure a draw. Central Districts, who took the lead and dominated much of the proceedings, walked away with five points to top the six-team pool with 52 points in five matches. Northern Districts finished the round in fifth place.
Rain on each of the four days in Dunedin meant an outright result wasn’t possible, but Wellington pocketed eight points in whatever little play was possible against Otago to finish the round placed third.
Jeetan Patel, the offspinner, took six wickets as Otago, who had decided to bat, were bowled out for 208. No. 3 Michael Bracewell, top-scored with 43, while Jimmy Neesham, left out of New Zealand’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan, managed just 11.
In reply, Wellington lost two quick wickets – Michael Papps (47) and Stepheh Murdoch (43),who had put on 71 for the second wicket – to wobble briefly at 119 for 3 before being powered by Luke Ronchi’s unbeaten 119 that helped them take the lead. They eventually declared on 350 for 7. The result did little to help Otago lift themselves off the bottom of the table.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo