Auckland is off and running in the Plunket Shield after a convincing five-wicket win over Northern Districts in Whangarei yesterday.
Having dismissed ND for 241 in their second innings to leave a target of 211, Auckland cruised to the win on the back of a 102-run second wicket stand fromopener Jeet Raval and Carl Cachopa.
Raval's 90 was the highest of six half centuries by Auckland batsmen in the match, which pleased captain Rob Nicol, up to a point.
"We're wanting hundreds - and big ones," he said last night.
"When someone gets in we want them to make a pig of themselves, but that's a start and we want the team to keep moving forward."
• Canterbury were 43 without loss in their second innings at stumps on day two in Christchurch, 58 runs behind Wellington after bowling the visitors out for 343. Central Districts sat in the box seat in Napier, reaching 67 for none at the end of day one after bowling Otago out for 207.
