Runs keep flowing as Guptill smacks ton
Cricket
He might not be playing for the Black Caps but Martin Guptill’s golden summer is continuing.
The Black Caps ODI opener has chalked up another century, this time for the table-topping Auckland Aces on the opening day of their Plunket Shield match against Northern Districts yesterday.
Fresh from back-to-back centuries in the ODI series against Bangladesh and an earlier hundred against India, Guptill hammered the Northern bowlers to all corners of Cobham Oval to help put the Aces in control in the round six Plunket Shield clash.
Guptill, who opened the innings, scored 120 from just 143 balls before being dismissed by Scott Kuggeleijn.
Auckland, who won the toss and decided to bat, reached 301-5 at stumps.
Two of Guptill’s three sixes came from the bowling of Black Caps leg spinner Ish Sodhi. Guptill also struck
12 fours.
Sodhi was the pick of the Northern bowlers with 3-82 including the crucial wicket of Sean Solia for 75 and Mark Chapman late in the day to keep Northern in the match.
Glenn Phillips is unbeaten on 43 for the Aces and has been joined at the crease by Ben Horne (1no).
At Cobham Oval, Whangarei: Auckland Aces 301-5 (Martin Guptill
120, Sean Solia 75; Ish Sodhi 3-82, Scott Kuggeleijn 2-51).
Meanwhile, Black Caps test openers Jeet Raval and Tom Latham weren’t the only players to notch a double century opening stand yesterday.
Central Districts run-scoring machine Greg Hay combined with George Worker to put on 202 for the first wicket partnership against the Otago Volts in Napier.
Worker was eventually dismissed for 110 when he was caught hooking on the boundary from the bowling of Matthew Bacon.
Black Caps test squad member Will Young joined Hay and the pair have, so far, produced an unbeaten
155 run partnership to help the Stags, who won the toss and elected to bat, through to 357-1 at stumps.
On a long and tough day for the Otago bowlers, Hay carried his bat through the day to be 145 not out with Young just eight runs away from another first-class century.
Hay has struck 19 fours with Young just one behind in the boundary stakes with 18.
At McLean Park, Napier: Central Districts 357-1 (Greg Hay 145no, George Worker 110, Will Young 92no; Matthew Bacon 1-69).
Down in Christchurch, an unbeaten Cole McConchie century has been the backbone of Canterbury’s innings after the Wellington Firebirds won the toss and inserted the home side.
Former Canterbury bowlers Hamish Bennett and Logan van Beek both grabbed an early wicket to have their former side struggling at 5-1 and then 46-2.
A 65-run partnership for the third wicket between McConchie and Stephen Murdoch put Canterbury back in the game before Murdoch, a a former Firebirds batsman, became Bennett’s second victim when he was caught by van Beek at point for 60.
Leo Carter was quickly dismissed for three which brought Cam Fletcher to the wicket and he combined with McConchie for a 152-run partnership to give the home side firstday honours.
Bennett, who picked up four wickets by the end of the day’s play, kept the pressure on his former side to prevent the game getting away from the Firebirds.
At Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Canterbury 314-6 (Cole McConchie 152no, Cam Fletcher 64, Stephen Murdoch 60; Hamish Bennett 4-57).