The Southland Times

Central openers sink Otago

- Off 50 overs (Ben Smith 93, Greg Hay 82; Nathan Smith 2-44, Michael Rippon 2-53, Matthew Bacon 2-56) beat Otago 232 off 44.5 overs (Josh Finnie 63, Neil Broom 35, Anaru Kitchen 32; Ryan McCone 3-34, Willem Luddick 2-41, Bevan Small 2-42). McConchie 90, He

A final-over thriller, a dream debut and runs aplenty highlighte­d the opening day of the Ford Trophy as Auckland, Wellington and Central Districts all made winning starts.

CENTRAL DISTRICTS v OTAGO at Saxton Oval, Nelson

A mammoth opening partnershi­p between Ben Smith and Greg Hay laid the platform for Central Districts’ 37-run victory over Otago.

Smith (93) and Hay (82) set the tone with a 167-run stand in Nelson as Central made 269-7 after being sent into bat.

Otago’s response featured a number of starts. However, other than Josh Finnie’s 63, no one managed to kick on before a lower-order collapse saw them dismissed for 232 in the 45th over.

Central seamer Ryan McCone finished with 3-34 while Bevan Small and Willem Luddick had two wickets each.

Smith and Hay’s effort set a new first-wicket record for Central against Otago, eclipsing the 155 made by Jesse Ryder and Craig Spearman in 2002/03.

Although, it was still well short of the team’s overall opening partnershi­p record of 321, set by Jamie How and Jeet Raval against Northern Districts in 2012/13.

AUCKLAND v NORTHERN DISTRICTS at Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland

A sensationa­l unbeaten century from Auckland opener Sean Solia overshadow­ed Trent Boult’s Ford Trophy return as the defending champions pulled off a dramatic fightback.

Solia carried his bat with an expertly-crafted 133 off 138 balls, holding the Auckland innings together to chase down Northern Districts’ target of 269 with just two wickets and two deliveries to spare.

WELLINGTON v CANTERBURY at Basin Reserve, Wellington

Opener Andrew Fletcher celebrated his List A debut with an unbeaten maiden first class century to lead Wellington to a comfortabl­e seven-wicket victory.

Set 287 to win after the home team won the toss, Fletcher finished with a superb 132 not out, decimating the Canterbury attack with 15 boundaries and a six.

It was a day of milestones for Wellington as wicketkeep­er Lauchie Johns set a New Zealand List A record of seven catches in an innings, just one shy of the world record.

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