Cricket: Bracewell bags five as Raval enters elite club

CD seamer Blair Tickner asks the question but Aces non-striker Jeet Raval shows the patience of a saint. Photo / Paul Taylor

It was a long day and there's fat chance any of the Central Districts Stags boys would have been up early this morning watching the Black Caps in their semifinal match in Dehli.

Doug Bracewell.

"Is it on tomorrow? Oh we won't be watching that. We'll probably just catch the highlights in the morning," said Doug Bracewell, after picking up a five-wicket bag for the Devon Hotel Stags against the Mondiale Auckland Aces yesterday in the final round Budget Rental Plunket Shield match in Napier.

Already anointed 2015-16 champions, the Aces were 382-9 at stumps after winning the toss and electing to pad up at McLean Park.

"It was a pretty dry day one and good conditions for batting," said the test seamer, after Auckland opening batsman Jeet Raval not only reached a milestone 1000 first-class runs this season but also racked up his 14th ton in the four-day affair with 147 runs before CD spinner Ajaz Patelk had him caught Greg Hay.

The former CD cricketer joined an elite club that included the late Martin Crowe (CD, 1986/87), Graeme Hick (ND, 1988-89), Jeff Crowe (Auckland, 1991-92), Michael Papps (Canterbury, 2006-07) and Bharat Popli (ND, 2015-16) to have carved up 1000-plus runs in a season.

The visitors yesterday took advantage with middle-order batsmen Brad Cachopa (41 runs), Shawn Hicks (50), Colin de Grandhomme (63), Donovan Grobbelaar (23) all adding to the cause.

"Jeet batted nice and patient so it was a type of wicket where if you apply yourself you'll get some returns," Bracewell said, adding it was imperative the William Young-captained CD wrap the Aces' tail this morning to occupy the crease with some intent to post a 400-plus score.

He felt the Stags had shown definite improvement in their bowling yesterday compared with their previous two matches.

"A couple of them [Aces batsmen] played well to the conditions so it'll be helpful if our guys go big and score runs from there," he said, commending Blair Tickner and Patel but ruing a couple of dropped catches that would have helped restrict the Aces to a 350 total.