Astle in record books as Canty sneak past Stags
Black Caps legspinner Todd Astle has become Canterbury’s leading first-class wicket-taker as Canterbury beat the Central Stags by two wickets at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora, yesterday.
Astle took three wickets in the Central Stags’ second innings, with fellow spinner Cole McConchie grabbing four as the Stags were dismissed for 226.
Having taken one wicket in the first innings, Astle has now moved past Mark Priest as Canterbury’s most successful bowler, with 292 scalps at first-class level.
Set a modest 208 for victory, Canterbury wobbled before reaching that target with Cam Fletcher (22 not out) and Matt Henry (7 not out) seeing them home.
Astle’s milestone was another boost in a good week for the spinner, after being recalled to face Bangladesh in the first test in Hamilton starting on Thursday.
However, Canterbury made hard work of the run chase with Astle contributing just four runs with the bat. Stephen Murdoch top scored with 47 runs as the Stags’ Ryan McCone helped himself to 4-25 in less than 10 overs.
However, McCone’s efforts were in vain as Canterbury reached their target off 56.5 overs to record their second win of the Plunket Shield season.
❚ In Auckland, the Aces profited from the Stags’ loss and moved the top of New Zealand’s firstclass leaderboard by wrapping up victory against the Otago Volts with a day to spare.
The Volts had been on the back foot after having been forced to follow on at Eden Park Outer Oval.
Matt McEwan claimed his sixth first-class career five-wicket bag (5-23), his third bag for the Aces, as the hosts rolled the Volts for just 80 in the second innings to seal victory by an innings and 97 runs.
McEwan was supported by a career-best 3-17 for Jamie Brown, the outright giving the Aces a slender two-point lead with three rounds remaining.
❚ Hamish Bennett starred for the Wellington Firebirds as he grabbed five second-innings wickets yesterday to leave Northern Districts on the brink of defeat in their rain-affected clash.
At end the of the day’s play ND needed 61 runs to win with just one wicket in hand, despite the best efforts of Ish Sodhi, who hit 47 runs off 54 balls to give his side the slimmest chance of an unlikely victory.
Chasing 373 to win, Henry Cooper and Tim Seifert both looked on track for big scores before they were removed by Bennett, who also grabbed the wicket of opener Daniel Flynn.
BJ Watling then took control of the innings, building a patient 77 from 144 balls but when Bennett struck again by trapping Daryl Mitchell, the writing was on the wall.