Cricket: Central Districts Stags' blemish-free start to season ends on 'sticky' wicket

Left-arm spinner Felix Murray, like wicketkeeper Ma'ara Ave, also of Nelson, is relishing his time with the CD Stags this summer. Photo/Photosport

The bubble was always going to burst and it did for the buoyant Central Districts Stags in New Plymouth today.

"Everyone sort of have off days, I guess, so it's forgetting about it and moving towards the Nelson game now," said newbie Felix Murray after the Ford Trophy five-wicket loss at Pukekura Park signalled the end of a stellar purple patch of first-class and one-day cricket run for the Heinrich Malan-coached CD.

The Stags remain undefeated in the four-day Plunket Shield campaign after two rounds, dating back to an unblemished first-class format last summer.

The Kings, having won the toss, made the most of it on what Murray described as a difficult pitch to bat on as CD stuttered to 163 before they were skittled with 32 balls to spare.

"They bowled really well — hit their lines well and put us under a lot of pressure early and continued so we couldn't really fight it off too well," said the New Zealand representative to the ICC Under-19 World Cup.

He revealed had captain Doug Bracewell won the toss they would have bowled first due to the sticky nature of a wicket with rain for the best part of the week.

Will Williams' "little, slowish medium seamers" doing most of the damage as he finished with 4-34, including three maidens from his 10 overs for a personal milestone.

Theo van Woerkom took 2-31 while Matt Henry, the most frugal, Andrew Ellis, Henry Shipley and Cole McConchie claimed one each.

For CD, opener Greg Hay and Christian Leopard top scored with 29 runs each while wicketkeeper Ma'ara Ave was the only other batsman to register in the 20s with 21.

In reply, the Cantabrians comfortably overhauled the target with 166-5 in 34.5 overs.

Black Caps batsman Tom Latham appears to be finding a niche in the middle order with an unbeaten 73 from 84 balls, including 10 boundaries.

Opener Chad Bowes scored 38 runs but there was no need for the Kings to panic.

Bracewell showed his class with 2-52 from nine overs. Murray, Leopard and Ryan McCone took a scalp each but, frankly, the bowlers didn't have much to bowl at.

Murray, 19, a left-arm spinner, is enjoying the experience, mindful some of the big boys will be back from national duties soon.

He said interim coach Ben Smith, of England, urged the Stags to take stock and move on to the next match.

The Stags will host the Northern Districts Knights at Saxton Oval, Nelson, on Wednesday.