Aspiring Black Cap shines for capital

Keep going like this and South African-born Devon Conway could be a Black Cap as early as 2020.

The Wellington top order batsman picked up where he finished off last summer, hitting 203 not out as the Firebirds continued their dominance over Otago on day two of their Plunket Shield match yesterday. Wellington declared after posting a formidable 509-5 at the Basin Reserve and had Otago in all sorts of bother at 114-5 by stumps.

It was Conway’s day, kicking on after being 131 at the start of the day’s play, and bringing up his double hundred with a boundary off quick Nathan Smith, just before skipper Michael Bracewell called his batsmen in.

He hit 26 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock that will have caught the eye of New Zealand Cricket talent spotters.

Conway, 27, arrived in the capital in September 2017 with a dream of following in the footsteps of fellow South-African born cricketers like Grant Elliott, Neil Wagner, and Kruger van Wyk, who emigrated to New Zealand and eventually cracked the Black Caps.

At the Basin Reserve, Wellington: Wellington 509-5 decl (Devon Conway 203no, Malcolm Nofal 110, Michael Bracewell 87; Nathan Smith 2-91) met Otago

114-5 (Shawn Hicks 34no, Josh Finnie 33; Hamish Bennett 3-43)

Black Caps allrounder Colin de Grandhomme hit form with the bat at the best possible time.

The hard-hitting de Grandhomme struck 115 from 135 balls as Northern Districts gained the ascendancy against Canterbury on day two. Playing just his second first-class match for ND after moving south after 12 seasons with Auckland, de Grandhomme frustrated the Canterbury attack, who had them

227-6 when Peter Bocock fell.

At Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Northern Districts 378 (Colin de Grandhomme 115, Dean Brownlie 77, Ish Sodhi 50, Daryl Mitchell 48; Cole McConchie 2-41, Will Williams 2-60) met Canterbury 83-2 (Henry Nicholls 36no; James Baker 2-19)

The sight of a healthy Adam Milne steaming in and taking wickets is a positive one for New Zealand Cricket. Milne, who has endured a tough run with injuries in past summers, shone with

3-30 to put Central Districts in the driver’s seat against Auckland.

At Eden Park outer oval, Auckland: Central Districts

360 (Dane Cleaver 117, Brad Schmulian 50, Willem Ludick 50; Matt McEwan 3-65, Raja Sandhu

2-59) and 54-3 met Auckland 184 (Rob O’Donnell 36; Adam Milne

3-30, Seth Rance 3-41)