Patel, Arnel snare four wickets each to put Firebirds on top
A pair of wiley veterans have bowled the Wellington Firebirds into a winning position in their side’s Plunket Shield match against defending champions Auckland - although rain might ruin their chances of victory.
Jeetan Patel and Brent Arnel, aged 36 and 37 respectively, both took four wickets on day three at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui to bowl Auckland out for 278 in their second innings.
Wellington were 51-0 late on day three, needing 224 runs from 104 overs to win.
With rain predicted throughout today, it could be a frustrating, onoff day for Wellington as they pursue the total.
Auckland resumed on day three at 65-3, a lead of 61.
Colin de Grandhomme hit a cut shot straight to Matt Taylor early on, before Brad Cachopa and Rob Nicol established themselves at the crease.
Their 93-run stand for the fifth wicket was ended when Patel got Cachopa caught at bat pad for 37.
Nicol and Shawn Hicks made it through to lunch, but Patel trapped the latter in front shortly after the resumption before Nicol caught only air trying to heave-ho Patel over mid wicket to be bowled one short of a half century.
At 157-7, Auckland were in a similar spot to their first innings when they were 173-7 before the tail wagged to get them through to 269 all out. The tail began to flutter again as No 9 Tarun Nethula raced to 20 with four quick boundaries off Hamish Bennett, but was caught in the deep on 39 trying to hook Arnel.
Arnel almost had Dane Hutchinson with his next ball, but the former Wellington player’s inside edge just missed the stumps and ran away for four.
He battled away slowly with Donovan Grobbelaar to get to tea at 228-8. Hutchinson launched two big sixes off Patel after tea, but Arnel took the new ball and dismissed both to end the innings.
Patel ended with 4-76 from 33 overs with including 13 maidens, while Arnel took 4-47 from 22.1 overs with nine maidens.
At Saxton Oval, Nelson, forgive the Central Districts bowlers for trying to avoid bumping into Hamish Rutherford and Brad Wilson at the moment. There is every chance they are sick of the sight of the two Otago openers.
Rutherford and Wilson bit by bit have gone about pulling the Central Districts bowling attack apart.
On day one they posted a 272-run opening stand as both posted centuries. On day three yesterday they were back in the runs again.
For the second time, they recorded a century opening stand finishing the day 117-0. to lead by 231 runs with 10 wickets still in hand.
At Hagley Oval, a dogged batting display from Northern Districts, coupled with some handy bowling scalps, has given them an outside shot at victory.
At stumps on the penultimate day of their opening match against Canterbury in Christchurch, ND trailed by 123 runs with Canterbury having six second-innings wickets in hand - should opener Chad Bowes, who retired hurt on nine, be capable of resuming his innings if required.