Cricket: Monkey off Stags' backs

CD opening batsman Greg Hay shows the overnight jitters before going on to score three runs for his seventh first-class century to remain unbeaten yesterday. Photo / Warren Buckland

Few things match the emotion of victory, especially when it comes on a staple diet of defeats in a competition.

The Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags yesterday got the monkey off their backs when they beat the Wellington Firebirds by 87 runs in Napier for their maiden Budget Rental Plunket Shield cricket match win not only this summer but stretching back to the last one.

"All the boys were just over the moon in the changing rooms," allrounder George Worker said last night.

"It was just a relief because it was our first win going back about 18 months so the way we went about doing it in this game was quite pleasing," said Worker, who has been on the fringes of re-selection for the Black Caps in the white-ball formats.

At face value the success for rookie captain William Young and his predominantly youthful team can be attributed to three centuries in two innings of the first-class match and end-to-end spin attack from Ajaz Patel and Worker on a benign batting strip at McLean Park.

But that would be too simplistic because the key ingredient for an outright victory was the preserve of both teams - the Stags and the Firebirds made sporting declarations because there's no difference in accruing points from drawing and losing the four-day affair.

In a tit-for-tat start on Saturday, CD declared at 424/6 and Wellington responded with 370/7 in their first dig.

The Stags then threw down the gauntlet in the visitors' court with 314/6 in the second innings before the Firebirds were skittled for 281, chasing 369 yesterday.

"Both teams arrived in the morning knowing they had a chance to win and that's the way you should play the game," Worker said.

CD opening batsmen Greg Hay had a few nervous moments at the crease in the morning, batting with Worker, in trying to tick over three runs for his seventh first-class ton.

He ended unbeaten on 127, including a dozen boundaries, in his 254-ball defiance at the crease.

"Haysey just went about his business so we could all bat around him so he thoroughly deserves his ton," said Worker, of the 31-year-old from Nelson who carried his bat.

Left-armer Worker, who scored a ton and 49 runs before claiming a milestone 4-58, said Young's second declaration meant the Firebirds had to play aggressively to chase down 5 to 6 runs an over to win.

Patel's state highway project yielded 4-103 from 29 overs, including six maidens, in Wellington's second innings.

"The wicket was getting a little old and turning so Ajaz carried on from his last game and I happened to burgle a few on the other end today," the 23-year-old from Manawatu said.

On an amusing note, Worker said he was under some pressure to tweak this round because batsman Tom Bruce "somehow tried to steal my overs".

Worker was pleased to have attained his goal of showing consistency in all three formats of the game this season.

CD are fifth on the table and a point below the Northern Districts Knights. They play leaders Auckland Aces away in round seven from Tuesday, March 8, after a 10-day rest.

The Otago Volts held the Aces to a draw yesterday while the Canterbury Kings had an eight-wicket victory over ND to sit in second place on 71 points, below the Aces (85 points).