Cricket: Match set to deliver winner

Kaipara batsman Findlay Buchanan keeps a close eye on the ball. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A difficult batting surface means only a washout is likely to deny either Maungakaramea or Kaipara Flats a win next week at the Maungakaramea Domain.

Maungakaramea had the best of the opening day of their Northland Club Cricket two-day match but it is still anyone's game after some late resistance with the bat from Kaipara on Saturday.

Kaipara's Kevin Forde said his side were far from finished with the scores almost level and with eight second innings wickets in hand. He was happy with his decision to bat first.

"If we can put a decent total on the board, and if our bowlers can get it into the right areas and apply pressure I don't think the wicket's going to get any easier to bat on," he said.

Kaipara only scored 108 before they were dismissed with Noel Roberts, batting at No4, top scoring on 51. Michael Harris took a cheap five-wicket bag for Maungakaramea, making the best of the tricky surface.

Maungakaramea reached 164/7 before declaring with 14 overs still remaining in the day to try and deliver a knockout blow to Kaipara Flats before stumps. Josh Lee scored a half century for Maungakaramea while Sean Beamish took four wickets for Kaipara.

But the Kaipara Flats top order, led by a quickfire 37 by Matt Taylor before he was dismissed in the final over of the day, managed to survive largely intact to be 55/2, setting up an intriguing second day's action next Saturday.

Adding to the attraction of the second day will be the return of six Northland players, who are currently on representative duty at the Brian Dunning Memorial One Day tournament at Taupo's Owen Delany Park.

"They've got Neal Parlane, Kurtley Watson and Cody Andrews to come back next week and we've got Kyran Dill, Rory Christopherson and Michael O'Flaherty so that should make things even more interesting on the second day," Forde said.

A solid 44 by Dylan Clark helped Kamo get to 146/6 - well within reach of Whangarei Boys High School first innings total of 194 all out.

Chamodh Peiris (65) and Tim Osbaldiston (45) were the main contributors to the BHS total with Richie MacPherson taking 4/63. MacPherson said if his side could have taken a few more catches they may not have had to face such a tricky start to day two next week.

Joey Yovich's century dominated the game between City and Onerahi-Central at Cobham Oval. He rolled back the years to score 134 as City went on to score 294 with Chris Acheson (45) the next highest scorer while Dylan Lees took 3/25.

In reply OC were 98/4 at stumps with Kieran Nelson taking 3/29 to leave OC with a tough job ahead to salvage first innings points.