Cricket: CD desperately need to break partnership for some cigar

CD seamer Seth Rance will fancy his chances when they take the new ball this morning against Wellington Firebirds. Photo/Warren Buckland

That tails have a propensity to wag in a cricket match is a given but what's important for the bowling side is to ensure their head's in the right space.

A brain fade on the final day of the Plunket Shield match in Napier today will determine whether hosts Central Districts Stags will claim their first victory this summer or the third-placed Wellington Firebirds will add to their only win to leapfrog Northern Districts Knights on the table to second place.

"It's evenly poised at the moment and Michael Papps batting really well so he's the key wicket for us in the morning," adroit CD seamer Seth Rance said last night after Wellington were 205-5 in 73 overs in their second innings after the Stags were skittled for 382 in their first dig yesterday.

Opening batsman Papps is unbeaten on 96 and Black Caps wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi, 11 not out at No 6, will try to add to the visitors' 68-run lead when play resumes mid-morning in round eight of the domestic men's competition.

"They have quite a long tail so if we can get one wicket before working through them to keep them around a lead of 150 ideally," said the 29-year-old right-armer from Wairarapa who took 2-44 yesterday to add to his four scalps in the first dig.

Whether CD skipper William Young takes the new ball, due after five overs, or not will depend on the shield's leading wicket taker this summer, Ajaz Patel, finding traction on what is stubbornly becoming a traditional benign batting track.

The Heinrich Malan-coached Stags felt they had got enough runs out of the strip, after injured opener Ben Smith scored 66 runs to help boost the overnight total of 318-7 with the help of tail enders Patel and Rance while No11 Blair Tickner was unbeaten on eight runs.

"It's now going to be a typical McLean Park track so it's taking a little bit of turn on which Ajaz will be able to find some overs but, overall, it's very flat so we'll give it a good go," he said of the left-arm orthodox spinner who claimed 1-56 from 26 overs, including eight maidens yesterday.

The chances are Papps may not have slept very well, four runs shy of his century but Rance laughed it off last night.

"He's an experienced batsmen so, you know, those things shouldn't worry him too much.

Yeah, he's played a very good innings," he said as Papps is at the cusp of his 30th first-class ton.

He lauded Smith for his contribution after taking a blow in the box from a Hamish Bennett delivery on Wednesday before returning later that day to resume batting.

Wellington paceman Matt McEwan took a career-best 6-81.

The Stags have claimed three batting bonus points in the first dig to Firebirds' one and pipped the visitors 4-3 in the bowling department.