Nicholls hits ton against test attack

Back on the green grass of home, a shadow Black Caps test attack was no bother for Henry Nicholls in an impressive start to the Plunket Shield season.

On a day when Colin de Grandhomme (viral infection) was the only test regular absent from the opening round, Nicholls stood tallest of those warming up for England’s arrival with his

10th first-class century.

The left-hander’s 103 off 197 balls played second fiddle to lesser known team-mate Cole McConchie who sprinted to his fourth first-class ton, scoring 107 off 152 with 14 fours and a six at Hagley Oval.

The pair added 182 for the fourth wicket as Canterbury reached a handy 327-8 at stumps after winning the toss against an attack spearheaded by test trio Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Neil Wagner.

Boult took the first wicket of the new season when he trapped test team-mate Tom Latham in front for 20, and ended with the best figures of 3-62 off 19 overs.

Southee (1-50) snared Stephen Murdoch for a duck as his solitary wicket, bowling maidens in nine of his 23 overs, while Wagner (2-118) was expensive, going at an economy rate of 4.54.

Twenty20 spin duo Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi twirled down eight overs apiece, conceding a combined 75 runs.

At Hagley Oval, Christchurch (day one):

Canterbury 327-8 (Cole McConchie 107, Henry Nicholls

103, Todd Astle 33; Trent Boult

3-62, Daryl Mitchell 2-14, Neil Wagner 2-118) v Northern Districts.

In the capital, Wellington took advantage of a traditional emerald Basin Reserve day one surface to skittle Otago for 199 and take a stranglehold of their opener.

At stumps, the Firebirds were

94-1 in reply, with young opener Rachin Ravindra well set on 45 alongside last summer’s domestic player of the year Devon Conway.

Back from a season with Derbyshire, seamer Logan van Beek was the main destroyer for Wellington, snaring 4-43 off 16 overs.

Otago’s senior man Hamish Rutherford (22) was run out in a terrible mix-up with another former Black Cap Neil Broom (2), who departed four overs later nicking off to van Beek.

Left-arm spinner Malcolm Nofal snared three wickets with help from some Basin bounce and poor Otago shot selection, with wicketkeeper Mitch Renwick (42) their topscorer.

At Basin Reserve, Wellington (day one):

Otago Volts 199 (Mitch Renwick 42, Nick Kelly 37; Logan van Beek 4-43, Malcolm Nofal

3-15) v Wellington Firebirds

94-1 (Rachin Ravindra 45no, Fraser Colson 31).

Back opening in red ball cricket after a short stint in the middle order, Black Cap Martin Guptill topscored for Auckland with 69 but Central Stags had the better of a rain-interrupted day.

With the lanky figure of Blair Tickner leading the way with

3-46, the Stags reduced the Aces to

185-7 at stumps when the weather had the final say at Eden Park.

Guptill batted 251 minutes and hit nine fours and a six before nicking a wider one from Tickner.

Test opener Jeet Raval (7) played all around one from Seth Rance and T20 international Glenn Phillips (51 off 79) started well before Rance trapped him in front. It saw the hosts lose 6-85.

At Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland (day one):

Auckland Aces 185-7 (Martin Guptill 69, Glenn Phillips 51, Robbie O’Donnell 32; Blair Tickner

3-46, Seth Rance 2-35) v Central Stags