Part-timer Devcich spins Northern to win
Northern Districts have gone to the top of the Plunket Shield table after taking out their match against Central Districts in Whangarei by 43 runs yesterday.
In what was an exciting last day at Cobham Oval, the hosts prevailed with 3.5 overs to spare after the Stags gave their target of 348 a decent nudge.
Starting the day on 23-1, CD needed 325 more runs off 97 overs at a required rate of 3.35 and, with Greg Hay (98) and Will Young (56) settling in for a lengthy partnership of 107 in 32 overs, they frustrated the home side’s attack.
But it was a star turn by part-time spinner Anton Devcich which got the SkyCity Knights back on top.
He got Young caught and bowled then in his next over had Tom Bruce caught behind by BJ Watling, before soon after getting the big wicket of Hay, lbw for 98, and went on to take career-best figures of 4-46 off 15 overs.
When Doug Bracewell, Bevan Small and Ben Wheeler all fell cheaply, CD were 233-8 and in trouble, though there were fighting stands for the final two wickets.
Gutsy captain Kruger van Wyk (62) put on 49 with Ajaz Patel (23no), as the visitors kept themselves in with a chance, with the required rate climbing to above a run-a-ball.
But when left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner had van Wyk caught behind with 66 still needed, the match was ND’s for the taking.
Devcich had bowled less than 10 overs since dislocating his shoulder, on tour with the Black Caps in the United Arab Emirates in December last year, but had the ball coming out nicely yesterday, having been brought into the attack to try something different on a pretty flat wicket.
‘‘It’s always good to have a bowl and get into the game, and try and affect the game,’’ Devcich said.
‘‘I got a few more [overs] than I was expecting.
‘‘You’re always in the game on day four, I guess. The pitch started to get a little bit of turn there and it was a little bit dusty. You take a wicket and it’s quite hard to start on as a batter.
‘‘So we always thought if we get a wicket or two, we could go through them.’’
Devcich deflected praise towards Santner, who trucked down 33.1 overs and bowled with what stand-in captain
SCOREBOARD
Scoreboard at the completion of the fourday match at Cobham Oval, Whangarei yesterday:
(Resuming on 23-1) D Meiring b Baker ........................................... 22 G Hay lbw b Devcich ..................................... 98 W Young c & b Devcich ............................... 56 T Bruce c Watling b Devcich ...................... 14 K van Wyk c Watling b Santner ................. 62 D Bracewell c & b Santner .............................. 1 B Small lbw b Devcich ..................................... 5 B Wheeler c Wilson b Kuggeleijn ................ 8 A Patel not out ................................................ 23 A Mathieson c Devcich b Santner ............ 11 Extras (lb 1, wd 2, nb 1) ................................... 4 Total (for 10 wickets, 106.1 overs) .......... 304 Fall: 2-61 (Meiring), 3-168 (Young), 4-184 (Bruce), 5-209 (Hay), 6-212 (Bracewell), 7-219 (Small), 8-233 (Wheeler), 9-282 (van Wyk), 10-304 (Mathieson). Bowling: G Aldridge 15-6-50-1 (1nb), S Kuggeleijn 16-2-48-1 (2w), J Baker 9-3-18-1, M Santner 33.1-10-70-3, J Boult 18-3-71-0, A Devcich 15-3-46-4. Watling called ‘‘attacking control’’.
‘‘Although he only got three wickets, he probably deserved five or six, he bowled bloody well,’’ Devcich said. ‘‘Kugges [Scott Kuggeleijn] had a good energy spell after tea as well, which caused a lot of pressure.
‘‘Everyone chipped in and it was a good team effort.’’
The win was a fine way for Watling to celebrate his 100th first-class match.
‘‘It was Flynny’s [Daniel Flynn] 100th last week, so I knew I was one behind him, so I knew it was coming. Obviously a special moment, to play 100 first-class games is quite a lot of cricket, for us Kiwis,’’ Watling said, adding that the achievement did make him feel old at 29.
‘‘Yeah, well I think the whole ND team makes me feel a bit old, except for Graeme [Aldridge],’’ he quipped.
The win takes ND to 66 points, though Auckland (61) will be at least tied with them after their match against Canterbury once their bonus points are taken into account. CD are sitting in third place on 50.
aaron.goile@fairfaxmedia.co.nz