Munro returns in fine style
Colin Munro showed what the Black Caps are missing out on as he blasted a ton for Auckland against Central Districts in the Plunket Shield.
Not required by New Zealand for the one-day series against South Africa, Munro went back to domestic cricket and made an immediate impact, smacking 123 from 109 balls, including seven sixes, to set up an imposing Auckland total of 385-5 at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.
There was no play on Saturday because there was a ground delay as they waited for the pitch to dry, but Auckland put themselves in a strong position. Auckland were 385-5 at stumps, having made the CD bowlers chase the ball all day.
It wasn’t just big-hitting Munro getting in on the action, as Rob Nicol made 86 from 165 balls and Robbie O’Donnell scored 71 from 170 balls.
Munro and Nicol added 200 for the fourth wicket.
Another dropped Black Cap also made his presence felt at domestic level, as Matt Henry took four wickets for Canterbury on the first day of their game against Wellington at the Basin Reserve.
After rain interrupted play in the morning, Wellington batted first and scored 274-4 in 83 overs.
Wellington veteran Michael Papps scored 76 at the top of the order and led the recovery with Scott Borthwick, after a couple of early wickets had them teetering at 22-2.
Papps brought up a significant milestone when he reached 57, of scoring 11,000 first-class runs.
Borthwick made 47, one of a few useful contributions along with Hamish Marshall, who made 69, and Tom Blundell, who scored 45.
Paceman Henry took 4-54 from 22 overs for Canterbury and took a big chunk out of the Wellington middle order. When he got rid of Borthwick, it was his 150th firstclass wicket.
Borthwick and Papps added a partnership of 117, then Marshall and Blundell put on 108.
It was a close affair at Whangarei, where Northern Districts and Otago fought for the upper hand.
Otago had reached 270-8 at stumps on day two in their first innings, in reply to Northern’s 278.
While the wicket was neither a fresh green seamer, nor a raging turner, it meant all batsmen had to opt for application over inspiration.
Northern resumed their first innings at 269-9 and added nine more runs before BJ Watling was dismissed for 42 from 101 balls in his first match back from injury.
Watling soon showed he was in fine fettle with the gloves too as he snared a sharp catch diving low to his left to claim Otago opener Michael Rippon down the leg-side off James Baker’s bowling.
Baker was the most threatening of the home side’s bowlers but had little luck after his initial breakthrough as a fifth-wicket partnership worth 138 between veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Derek de Boorder and Anaru Kitchen.
Kitchen made 76 from 103 balls before also being strangled down the leg-side while de Boorder got to 89 off 202 balls before the second new ball, Scott Kuggeleijn and Watling saw him off.
Daryl Mitchell got rewards for bending his back determinedly by removing Kitchen and Sam Wells in the same over, with neither fans of the caught behind decisions from umpire Brent Bowden.
On Saturday, Tim Seifert made a fine fist of his opening duties with Watling back in the side as wicketkeeper-batsman by making 97 from 198 balls to top-score for the hosts.
An impressive display from 18-year-old Nathan Smith, playing just his third first-class match, saw him end with 5-56 for the visitors.
Debutant Michael Rippon, the left-arm legspinner and opening bat, took 3-71 from 24.4 demanding overs.