Murdoch’s century give Wellington slight edge
Stephen Murdoch’s classy century was just enough to give Wellington a first innings lead in their opening Plunket Shield match against Auckland at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui yesterday.
Resuming on day two at 43-2, with Auckland having scored 269 all out on day one, Wellington relied heavily on 33-year-old Murdoch as he kept the scoreboard ticking over.
He started the day on 14, with Hamish Marshall on 16 at the other end, and batted deep into the second session on a pitch that never allowed the batsmen a sense of comfort, finishing with 109 from 184 balls.
Bowl in the right areas, and batsman would struggle not to give the opposition chances. But stray from the right line or length, and it was open season.
‘‘It’s a good cricket wicket,’’ Wellington coach Bruce Edgar said. ‘‘If you bowl in the right areas, you always feel like there is something there.
‘‘The guys have been saying, it doesn’t matter how long you’re out there, you never quite feel like you’re in.’’
Nothing illustrated that more than when Wellington collapsed late in the day, going from 219-4 to 273 all out in the space of 20 overs.
It was Murdoch’s wicket which started the tumble. Lachie Ferguson bowled a length ball pitching on off which appeared to be angling into Murdoch’s pads. The ball straightened, and cleaned up middle stump.
That was the second of five wickets for Ferguson. He then removed Tom Blundell for a solid 42, then his pace proved too much for the tail.
Auckland were 65-3 at stumps, boasting a lead of 61 runs.
Danger man Jeet Raval was dismissed late on thanks to the pressure created by spinner Jeetan Patel. Patel bowled a pair of maidens before Raval attempted to back away and club him through the leg side, only for the ball to skid on and take out the stumps.
Brent Arnel, fresh from a fourwicket haul on day one, and Hamish Bennett claimed the early wickets of Michael Guptill-Bunce and Robert O’Donnell respectively.
Rob Nicol (10) and Colin de Grandhomme (5) were at the crease at the close of play.