Ryder strikes ton for Central
Centuries to Central Districts’ Jesse Ryder and Wellington’s Stephen Murdoch highlighted a profitable opening day’s batting in round two of the Plunket Shield provincial cricket series.
Ryder helped steer his team out of early trouble with an impressive unbeaten 165 against Auckland at Nelson’s Saxton Oval while Murdoch prospered at Wellington’s Basin Reserve to score 114 against a strong Otago bowling attack.
CENTRAL DISTRICTS v AUCKLAND at Saxton Oval, Nelson
It hasn’t taken Ryder long to reestablish himself in just his first game back from a knee injury.
A 149-run fifth-wicket stand between the big left-hander and Dane Cleaver helped ease some early pressure after Auckland had opted to bowl on a fresh-looking Saxton Oval pitch. But it was a dominating 152-run stand between Ryder and an assured Doug Bracewell for the sixth wicket that gradually helped turn the match in Central Districts’ favour as they headed to stumps at an imposing 395-6.
Ryder ended the day on 165 not out having faced 227 balls and hitting 25 boundaries.
Quick bowler Lockie Ferguson generated plenty of pace to grab two early wickets and have Central in trouble at 7-2. But with the innings in the balance at 51-4, Ryder and Cleaver combined effectively to help restore some equilibrium.
Ryder brought up his half century with a single through cover, Cleaver eventually posting his 50 with a flick through midwicket for four as the partnership continued to flourish. But Cleaver was finally undone, miscuing an attempted hook off Matt Mcewan and was gone for 56 at 200-5.
Ryder was clearly in no rush to reach his 24th first class century, quietly working the singles through the 90s before easing leftarm seamer Donovan Grobbelaar through to the cover boundary to post three figures.
With the wicket flattening out nicely, Ryder and the clean-hitting Bracewell dug in for another substantial partnership .
But just three runs short of three figures, Bracewell was trapped lbw by Mcewan to end his 117-ball contribution.
WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS v OTAGO VOLTS at Basin Reserve, Wellington
Stephen Murdoch emphatically atoned for his first round duck in Wellington’s comprehensive innings win over Auckland by completing his 12th first class century at the Basin Reserve.
A third-wicket century partnership between the former New Zealand under-19 representative and Michael Bracewell gave early substance to Wellington’s innings after being sent in.
The pair added 113 runs together before Bracewell finally departed for 43 at 146-3.
Murdoch’s half century came off 75 balls, the right-hander finally posting his century off 158 balls having hit 14 fours and two sixes. He finally fell to left-arm spinner Anaru Kitchen, caught at cover for 114 off 187 balls at 243-6 to give Kitchen his third wicket of the innings.
Black Caps’ left-arm seamer Neil Wagner emerged as Otago’s leading wicket-taker, finishing with 4-80.
Otago were 9-1 at stumps in reply after just four overs with opener Hamish Rutherford the batsman dismissed for one.
CANTERBURY v NORTHERN DISTRICTS at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
Canterbury’s batsmen appear well in control against Northern Districts at Rangiora’s Mainpower Oval after ending day one at a commanding 289-4.
Despite the early loss of opener Jack Boyle for two at 6-1, fellow opener Chad Bowes and Ken Mcclure steadily turned the innings around against a hardworking Northern Districts attack.