Canterbury blaze 417 on day one
IT was bats that did most of the talking on the opening day of the domestic cricket season, as Canterbury and Otago blazed their way to dominant positions in the first round of the Plunket Shield.
Having been 60 for four shortly before lunch, and 150 for five midway through the second session, Canterbury would have been over the moon to finish the day on 417 for eight, especially seeing as they had been sent in by Northern Districts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
They mostly have Todd Astle to thank for that remarkable turnaround, with the all-rounder not out on 167 off just 161 balls, an innings that remarkably has contained 22 fours so far, but no sixes, and which was just his second first-class century in his 100th first-class game. He found valuable lower order support from spinner Tim Johnston, who hit 66 off 62 balls, Kyle Jamieson, who made 40, and debutant Henry Shipley, who is also not out on 24.
Northern’s frontline seamers, Scott Kuggeleijn, Jimmy Baker and Zak Gibson had all been impressive in the morning session but came in for some stick as the day progressed. Kuggeleijn finished the day with the best figures, taking three for 109 off 25 overs.
Meanwhile, centuries by Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson have left Otago in complete control after day one of their match against Central Districts in Nelson. The two openers had the Central bowling attack at their mercy for most of day at Saxton Oval after Otago had elected to bat in fine, sunny conditions. And they were unrelenting, eventually ending the day at 302 for three.
Former Black Caps batsman Rutherford took the opportunity to score his ninth first-class century, hitting 143 runs off just 176 balls, the left-hander peppering the boundary with 21 fours and four sixes.
The only game where bowlers had the upper hand was at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, where Wellington won the toss and sent Auckland in to bat.
The defending champions put on 99 for their first wicket – Michael Guptill-Bunce making 50, and Jeet Raval 47 – and 70 for their 10th wicket, but in between lost eight wickets for just 100 runs.