Quality ton by Astle launches Canty fightback

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 60-4 shortly before lunch and 150-5 midway through the second session, Canterbury ended the day on 417-8 after being sent in by Northern Districts at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

They mostly have Todd Astle to thank for the turnaround, with the all-rounder not out on 167 off just 161 balls, an innings that remarkably has contained 22 fours and was just his second first-class century in his 100th first-class game.

He found lower order support from spinner Tim Johnston, who hit 66 off 62 balls, Kyle Jamieson, who made 40, and debutant Henry Shipley, who is 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 3-109 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 at Saxton Oval after Otago had elected to bat in fine, sunny conditions. And they were unrelenting, eventually ending the day at 302-3.

Rutherford took the opportunity to score his ninth first-class century, hitting 143 off just 176 balls, the left-hander peppering the boundary with 21 fours and four sixes.

Wilson was in less of a hurry, taking 254 balls to contribute 111 runs for his 12th first-class century, hitting 12 fours and two sixes.

The pair put on 227 in their opening stand and weren’t separated until the third over after the tea break when left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel finally made the breakthrough.

Ryan Duffy added 31 runs, leaving Neil Broom (4 not out) and Josh Finnie (6 not out) to see Otago through to stumps.

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 test opening prospect Jeet Raval 47 – and 70 for their 10th wicket, but in between lost eight wickets for just 100 runs. Seamer Brent Arnel was the pick of the bowlers, taking 4-57, while Hamish Bennett chipped in with 3-64 and Jeetan Patel claimed 3-79 during an innings that included a break for rain.

By stumps, Wellington had lost openers Michael Papps and Luke Woodcock, and were 43-2, with Stephen Murdoch and Hamish Marshall at the crease.