Cricket: Central Districts fall shy in first dig

GOT 'IM: CD batsman Doug Bracewell can only watch as ND fielder Bharat Popli catches him for three runs off an Ish Sodhi delivery while wicketkeeper Tim Seifert celebrates. PHOTO/Paul Taylor

Toasted in the Hawke's Bay sun, Central Districts Stags captain William Young was in no mood to beat around the bush last night. "It wasn't our best first innings, to be fair," was Young's verdict after posting a total of 225 all out after the hosts won the toss against the Northern Districts Knights and padded up on the opening day of the round-five, four-day Plunket match at Nelson Park, Napier, yesterday.

Young said there was some assistance initially from the surface sporting a greenish tinge.
"We knew that if we get through the first session, especially with plenty of guys still in the shed we could cash in later.

"Unfortunately a lot of guys got in but then found ways to get out."

The 23-year-old top scored with 61 runs at No 3 but only wicketkeeper Dane Cleaver (31 runs) and Ryan McCone (32) showed some intent to occupy the crease on a traditionally batting paradise.

Young said it was the right call to bat because ND showed if bowlers put the ball in the right areas one could ask good questions.

The Stags did ask the question, giving ND something to ponder overnight when McCone claimed the wicket of opener Joseph Carter for 17 runs.

Dean Brownlie, the Black Caps insurance cover for Ross Taylor who is undergoing eye tests, will resume this morning as opener on three not out while nightwatchman Ish Sodhi is unbeaten on one although ND skipper Tim Seifert emphasised the legspinner "can still hold a bat ... so he's not a bad guy to have out there".

Young saw a silver lining in an early dismissal so he felt it was imperative in the first hour to make some inroads with the new ball.

"Dean is a great player and obviously a massive wicket ... so if we get him early we can go bang, bang and get a few more early wickets."

The ND dangerman at No 4 is Bharat Popli, if last summer was anything to go by.
With temperatures expected to flirt around the 30C mark Young said the intention was to spend as little time on the park as possible.

Coach Heinrich Malan told the Stags in the changing room it wasn't their best batting effort and neither it was their worst but neither team had asserted themselves.

Young said with extreme heat there was a chance the wicket could break up for spinner Ajaz Patel but for the next day or so seamers Doug Bracewell, Ben Wheeler, McCone and Blair Tickner had to deliver.

A delighted Seifert said it was one of ND's better first-innings effort as a collective, after Brett Hampton and Daryl Mitchell snared three wickets each between them. Sodhi took two and Tony Goodin one.

"Earlier on it [the wicket] was doing a bit but then it flattened out so I think it's a great effort from the bowling boys. To bounce back to get them all out for 220 odd - we'll take that."

Seifert, who gloved two deliveries behind the stumps, felt the wicket could break up quite easily to turn a lot more for the spinners.

"The forecast is good and today was hot enough for us."

In his maiden match at Nelson Park in his career, Seifert couldn't forecast a total but envisaged a good lead.

He wasn't sure what was happening with Brownlie and didn't know who would replace him as an opener but that player would be jetting to Napier.

Seamer Seth Rance was named 12th man for the hosts while James Baker is running out the drinks for the visitors.