Winning starts for ND, Wellington
Northern Districts and Wellington have made the perfect start to their respective Plunket Shield campaigns as they secured opening round victories on Tuesday.
Career-best figures from Scott Kuggeleijn helped steer Northern to a stunning comeback victory over Canterbury at Hagley Oval.
The visitors triumphed by five wickets late on the final day to cap off a quite enthralling match, in which Canterbury will be asking just how on earth they lost after posting 445 in their first innings.
Chief to that Northern’s success was fast bowler Kuggeleijn, who captured a splendid 6-60 in Canterbury’s second innings, to collect nine scalps for the match, skittle the hosts for 165, and allow ND a realistic tilt at victory.
Canterbury began the day leading by 123 with six wickets in hand but could only add another 72 runs as Kuggeleijn charged through the middle and lower order, including taking his 100th first class wicket, while James Baker claimed the key scalp of Todd Astle (14), who produced a career-best 195 in Canterbury’s first innings.
There were more than a few nervous moments as Northern At Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Canterbury 445 and 165 (T Johnston 43; S Kuggeleijn 6-60, J Baker 2-69) lost to Northern Districts 415 and 198-5 (D Mitchell 51no, B Popli 41, T Seifert 31no; A Ellis 2-35, T Astle 2-38) by five wickets. At Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui: Auckland 269 and 278 lost to Wellington 273 and 275-4 (L Woodcock 98, M Papps 57, H Marshall 39, S Murdoch 31; D Hutchinson 2-44) by six wickets. At Saxton Oval, Nelson: Otago 479-5 dec and 238-2 (B Wilson 117no, H Rutherford 73) drew with Central Districts 365-5 dec. chased down the tricky target of 196.
However, an unbeaten 51 from Darryl Mitchell and solid contributions from Bharat Popli (41) and Tim Seifert (31 not out) ensured they got the job done.
In Mount Maunganui, a century opening stand between Luke Woodcock and Michael Papps in the fourth innings sent Wellington on their way to a six-wicket win over defending champions Auckland.
When Woodcock and Papps strode to the crease late on day three, with bad light and overcast conditions making batting difficult, the state of the game was in the balance.
By the time Papps departed for 57 on the morning of day four, Wellington were easing towards the total of 275 set by Auckland.
Woodcock nearly saw Wellington home himself, falling for 98 when his team needed 10 runs to win, ending a near five hour stay at the crease.
His 235-ball innings included 11 fours and a solitary six.
Meanwhile, Otago opening batsman Brad Wilson made sure day four of their drawn, rain-affected match with Central Districts in Nelson wasn’t a total bust.
Heavy overnight and morning rain meant a late start to proceedings with play eventually underway at 1.30pm as the final day was reduced to 80 overs.
But after resuming the abridged final day at his overnight score of 44, Wilson didn’t to waste his opportunity on a flat Saxton Oval wicket as he eventually carried on to post his second consecutive century of the match.
The former New Zealand under19 representative eventually finished unbeaten on 117 when the declaration finally came at 238-2 after 74 overs.
Having left Central a theoretical target of 353 runs off a possible 41 overs, the two teams happily shook hands.
Otago had resumed the final day at 117-0 in their second innings, an overall lead of 231 runs.
However, Wilson’s opening partner Hamish Rutherford didn’t last long, adding only two runs to his overnight total of 71 before he was caught off the bowling of leftarm seamer Ben Wheeler at 133-1.
Ryan Duffy was the only other batsman dismissed, bowled by leftarm spinner Ajaz Patel for eight.
But it was a memorable match for Wilson, the right-hander backing up his first innings knock of 111 with another superb ton, his 13th at first class level, to dominate an unbroken 86-run third-wicket partnership with Neil Broom.
Wilson faced 226 balls and hit 15 boundaries, while Broom finished 27 not out off 87 balls.