Cricket: Record partnership gives Northland comfortable win

Matt Taylor was economical with the ball as Northland secured a comfortable seven wicket win over Auckland A at Cobham Oval. Photo/Andrew Johnsen

A record-breaking partnership between Ben Hyde and Henry Cooper provided the catalyst for Northland's comfortable seven wicket win over Auckland A at Cobham Oval.

On a good deck, the visitors elected to bat first and were immediately put under the pump by opening bowlers Kyran Dill and Sean Beamish.

Dill provided the initial breakthrough at 26-1, then first change bowler Caleb Boswell-Smith took his first wicket for Northland to leave Auckland two down after 10 overs.

The introduction of Kurtley Watson gave Northland their third wicket after a sharp bit of wicket-keeping from Rory Christopherson.

In a little bit of trouble at 90-3, Auckland consolidated through the fourth wicket pairing of Will O'Donnell and Dale Phillips.

Occupying the crease for more than 20 overs, the pair combined for 116 runs and gave Auckland a good platform to kick on from.

But a sharp piece of fielding from Hyde split the pair as he ran out O'Donnell for 81 with Auckland on 206.

Phillips remained at the crease until the final over, but couldn't find a partner to stick with him.

Leg spinner Tyler Lortan gets into his work. Photo/Andrew Johnsen

Watson (2-46) and leg-spinner Tyler Lortan (1-46) both trapped batsman in front as Auckland found themselves at 266-7 going into the last six balls.

Debutant Stacey Hyndman (4-52) was given the ball for the crucial final over and came up trumps.

First he clean bowled Phillips for a run-a-ball 90. Then he rapped Will St John on the pads for an LBW.

Finally he uprooted the stumps of Keegan Russell for a well-deserved hattrick, ending Auckland's innings at 267.

Northland started their chase solidly, ending the 10th over at 39 for no loss.

Next over, however, Brad Kneebone was caught behind off Matthew Gibson. This brought Cooper to the crease.

Henry Cooper had a big day with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 81. Photo/Andrew Johnsen

For the next thirty overs, Hyde and Cooper dismantled Auckland's bowling attack.

Hyde was the aggressor, smashing 11 boundaries and five sixes on his way to a mammoth 156 of just 134 balls.

Meanwhile Cooper (81 not out) acted as the anchor, but still scored at a fairly quick rate, hitting 10 boundaries in the 104-ball knock.

The pair went along at a comfortable pace, taking particular toll on the bowling of opener Russell.

After Russell was brought back into the attack, Hyde hit three sixes as they hit him for 32 in his three over spell.

Their partnership reached 201 before its demise. This broke the 25 year old Northland record for a second-wicket stand, surpassing that of Murray Child and Craig Preseland back in the 1991/92 season.

St John took Hyde's wicket at 245-2, but the damage had been done.

Losing only one more wicket, Northland got home with four overs to spare.

Northland will next take Hamilton in a two-dayer at Cobham Oval on November 12-13.