Cricket: Spinner turns back clock

Former Black Cap spinner Bruce Martin, pictured above playing for Auckland, returned to Northland cricket for the first time in about 20 years. Photo / File

The return of Black Cap Bruce Martin to Northland club cricket couldn't have come at a better time for Kamo Cricket Club as they lined up against their old rivals City.

Put in to bat by City, "Bucko" contributed the team's top score of 47 as Kamo were dismissed for 196 in 61.5 overs at the Kamo Rec. on Saturday.

Martin, who last played for the Black Caps in the test series against Bangladesh in late 2013, has been lured home to Whangarei to help Northland recapture the Hawke Cup next weekend.

Kamo's Richard McPherson said it was a pleasant change for the team to have an international in their side with the left-arm spinner and right-hand batsman in "good touch".

"He's just up for a few weeks so he offered to turn out for a game with his old club ... that he last played for about 20 years ago," McPherson said.

Opener Dylan Clark scored 34 and Curtis Cherrington 31 on a pitch that saw plenty of movement with another former first class player lining up for Hawke Cup selection, Joey Yovich, taking 3/62 off 17 overs.

Another Northland squad member, City skipper Ian Page, said it was a bit of a surprise to see Martin in the Kamo line-up.

"It's his first game up here for quite a while and he looked pretty good," Page said.

"He's quite a character so it was pretty enjoyable to have him out there playing against us to be honest, even if it cost us a few runs," he said.

Martin only bowled a couple of overs in the City innings, picking a up a slight niggle that hopefully won't affect his selection chances for Northland.

Kamo's bowlers had the City batsmen in a spot of bother by stumps with the side six down for 112. Ben Smith (33) and Yovich (34) were the mainstays for City with Cherrington taking two wickets.

Page said his side would need to apply themselves if they wanted to earn first innings points next week.

In other matches, Kaipara Flats were dismissed for 120 by Whangarei Boys High School at Bourne Dean Reserve with leg spinner Tyler Lortan taking 3/32. Boys High's Sam Walker, Cullen Lowe and Caleb Boswell-Smith all finished with two wickets apiece, with Kevin Forde top-scoring with 27 for Kaipara.

In reply, Boys High were 108/7 at stumps with Walker top-scoring with 57 and Lewis Miller 21. Dante Mitchell also batted well at number three before an untimely run-out, while Shaun Beamish, Forde and Matt Taylor all took two wickets each.

The third match of the final round of the two-day competition was all one-way traffic as Maungakaramea rolled Onerahi-Central at Kensington Park for 50 runs and then went on to build a strong position to take the overall points next weekend.

Cody Andrews and Jason Morgan took three wickets each with Nick Stobart and Mike Harris also bowling well. Maungakaramea scored 222 all out with Neal Parlane and Mark Southee both scoring half centuries, with Andrews (39no) and Morgan (30) the other main contributors with the bat.