Cricket: Anyone's game after 'soft' CD dismissals

Andrew Mathieson

The four-day Plunket Shield match in New Plymouth has come down to a one-day game now, according to Stags coach Heinrich Malan.

The Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags will resume at 3-50 in their second dig today on day three against the Wellington Firebirds in their first-class match at Pukekura Park.

"We still have capable batsmen in Youngsy in good form, Tom Bruce and Krugs [captain Kruger van Wyk]," Malan said.

Stags No4 William Young was unbeaten on seven runs and No5 Bruce yet to score as CD led by 37 runs after posting 229 in their first innings before skittling the Firebirds for 242.

Malan said the Stags batsmen hadn't "covered ourselves in glory" in their first innings.

Yesterday he would have preferred to have been one or, in the worst-case scenario, two down but they had gifted two cheap wickets (George Worker 11, Greg Hay 9) in the space of 24 balls before stumps.

"It's an interesting game now ... with a win on the cards for both teams," he said.

Van Wyk won the toss at Pukekura Park and chose to bat first after heavy rain in the area leading up to the game.

However, Malan emphasised the wickets lost were not a credit to Wellington's bowling but to CD's soft dismissals.

"We didn't do ourselves any favours so it was definitely the right call [from Krugs]," he said, banking on the wicket coming right by tomorrow to offer spinners Ajaz Patel and Bruce some purchase.

Seamer Andrew Mathieson took four wickets for 55 runs, while Patel, "returning from his honeymoon", had been the most frugal bowler, recording 1-24.