Ferguson’s haul puts match in the balance

After an opening day of Plunket Shield action that belonged to the batsmen, Auckland seamer Lockie Ferguson has struck back for the bowlers on day two.

Ferguson claimed the first five-wicket haul of the season as Wellington were dismissed for 273 at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, finishing with figures of five for 44 from just shy of 20 overs.

His efforts ensured both teams picked up six bonus points from their first innings, while Wellington eked out a four-run lead.

By stumps, Auckland had reached 65, a lead of 61, but lost three wickets in the process, leaving skipper Rob Nicol (10 not out) and Colin Grandhomme (5 not out) to pick things up on the third morning, as they try and set Wellington a defendable fourth-innings target.

Earlier in the day Wellington batsman Stephen Murdoch scored his 11th first-class cen- tury, making 109, but his dismissal with the score at 219 was the first of six wickets that fell for 54 runs, as Auckland made light work of the tail.

Bowlers continued to struggle at Saxton Oval in Nelson, where Otago batted up until the verge of the tea break, eventually declaring when they reached 479 for five in their match against Central Districts.

Neil Broom had been looking to join day one centurions Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson, but fell seven runs short for 93, caught by Greg Hay off the bowling of Ajaz Patel, while Josh Finnie made 56, before being bowled by Tom Bruce.

Central lost Ben Smith early, caught behind, but Greg Hay and Mitch Renwick then consolidated, combining for a 122-run stand that was unbroken at stumps, leaving them 134-1.

It was a mixed bag at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, where Canterbury resumed having already piled on 417 runs on the first day, with Todd Astle on 167 and Henry Shipley on 24, and Northern Districts well behind the eight ball.

Shipley fell quickly, leaving Astle to bat with No 11 Ed Nuttall, who finished not out on 0, while Astle made it through to 195 before being run out, five runs shy of what would have been a maiden double ton.

Northern looked to be doing it easy in reply, as openers Daniel Flynn and Dean Brownlie piled on 174 for the first wicket. Flynn was the first to go, caught by Nuttall off Tim Johnston for 66, while Brownlie made it to 104 before being caught in the deep facing Astle’s leg spinners.

Their middle order didn’t fare so well though, with Joe Carter (5), Bharat Popli (9) and Nick Kelly (16) all falling cheaply, leaving Daryl Mitchell (22 not out) and Tim Seifert (0 not out) at the crease when stumps came, with the score 242 for five, and the deficit still 203.

No matter how things play out tomorrow, the prospect of a fourth-day chase remains a possibility.