Central Districts win to ensure Wellington’s time at top is brief
Wellington’s Plunket Shield lead was only temporary.
For an hour or so the Firebirds were perched atop the four-day standings, after beating Otago at the Basin Reserve. But by the time stumps were finally drawn yesterday, the Central Stags had roared back to the top of the table, courtesy of an impressive 151-run win over Auckland.
Northern Districts might yet blow past Wellington as well, given the 354-run lead they hold over Canterbury with a day left to play at Hagley Oval.
But let’s linger on events at Eden Park’s Outer Oval first, where the Stags got up late.
Having set Auckland 351 to win, the Stags made consistent inroads en route to bowling the hosts out for 199. After reducing the Aces to nine-down in their second innings, CD were given an extra half-hour to try and finish things off. Seth Rance eventually did the honours, bowling Danru Ferns to end with 2-49.
Fellow opening bowler Doug Bracewell took 3-33.
In Wellington, the Firebirds already made light work of Otago.
On the back of Devon Conway’s double hundred, Wellington went to win by an overwhelming innings and 101 had At Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland: and (Christian Leopard 37, Doug Bracewell 31; Sean Solia 3-23, Raja Sandhu 3-40, Danru Ferns 2-48) bt
and (Jeet Raval 57, Finn Allen 53; Bracewell 3-33, Ryan McCone 2-45, Seth Rance 2-49)
At Basin Reserve, Wellington: bt (Michael Rippon 47, Shawn Hicks 34, Josh Finnie 33; Hamish Bennett 4-60, Ollie Newton 2-38) and (Rippon 57no, Mitch Renwick 46; Jeetan Patel 3-75, Hamish Bennett 2-35, Iain McPeake 2-39)
At Hagley Oval, Christchurch: and
Bharat Popli 36, Dean Brownlie 30; Cole McConchie 2-28) met
(Stephen Murdoch 59, Henry Nicholls 41, Matt Henry 40, McConchie 33; Ish Sodhi 3-48, Colin de Grandhomme 2-30, James Baker 2-38; Neil Wagner 2-68).
runs. Resuming at 114-5, in response to the Firebirds 509-5 declared, the Volts were soon shot out for 190. (Henry Cooper 58,
Wellington enforced the follow-on, eventually bowling Otago out for 218 late on day three of the scheduled four. Michael Rippon backed up his first innings 47 with 57 not out in the second dig. Offspinner Jeetan Patel finished with 3-75.
Meanwhile, Northern Districts are very handily poised in their clash with Canterbury.
Ish Sodhi’s 3-48 helped ensure the hosts were knocked over for 228 in their first turn of bat, to trail ND by 150. Opener Henry Cooper made 58 in ND’s second dig, but it’s Colin de Grandhomme whose name looms largest ahead of day four.
Having made 115 in the first innings, he’ll resume on 17 with a licence to swing freely, as ND seek to build on their big lead of 354.
184
199 by 151 runs.
Central Stags 360
Wellington 509-5 dec
by an innings and 101 runs. Northern Districts 378
174
Otago 190
Auckland
204-5 Canterbury 228
218