Central bowlers dismiss Northern

CENTRAL Districts bowlers put in an impressive performance to give their side the upper hand over their Northern combatants on the first day of their Plunket Shield in Gisborne yesterday.

Batting first, Northern Districts were dismissed for only 183 off 70.3 overs at Harry Barker Reserve, with only wicketkeeper Adam Wheater (53) ever looking like mastering the hosts’ seam-heavy bowling lineup.

Black Cap Adam Milne (2-41), Ben Wheeler (2-48) and Carl Cachopa (3-15) were the main destroyers for Central.

Cachopa the pick of the seamers, consistently hard to get away, with only 15 runs coming off his 9 overs. Cachopa claimed the scalps of Daryl Mitchel (7) and James Marshall (6) to leave Northern 4-49 after 24 overs, with Joey Yovich caught behind by for only 13.

Wheater tried to lead a middle order rearguard, putting on 48 with Corey Anderson (23), and 62 with Adam Devcich (33).

But once he was dismissed at 159 the writing was on the wall for Northern, with the last five wickets all falling for only 24 runs.

Central Districts were 67-2 when stumps were pulled for bad light yesterday, with former Auckland opener Jeet Raval (38) and Matt Sinclair (8) at the crease.

Seamers Graeme Aldridge (1-13) and James Baker (1-17) claimed the wickets of Jamie How (0) and Cachopa (20) before close of play.