Auckland made a bright start to the three-day tour cricket match against the West Indies in Auckland today.
An entertaining session saw the home side go to lunch on 134 for one after they won the toss and chose to bat first at Eden Park Outer Oval.
Auckland
scored at close to five runs an over as captain Richard Jones went to the interval on 70 with tall left-hander Tim McIntosh on 38.
Jones was the aggressor, hitting his runs off just 97 balls, with 11 fours and one six, while McIntosh was more circumspect, hitting six boundaries in his unbeaten innings from 71 deliveries.
After the start of play was delayed due to drizzle, the tourists' sole success came when opener Martin Guptill edged Fidel Edwards to second slip.
Guptill, back in the side after an injury-enforced break, had scored 10 when Sewnarine Chattergoon held the offering with the Auckland total on 11 in the third over.
The oval has been a haven for batsmen this summer, with last week's domestic State Championship match between Auckland and Wellington producing 974 runs for the loss of just 12 wickets despite it being reduced to a three-day affair due to rain.
The match is the only warmup for the West Indies before the first of two tests against New Zealand, starting in Dunedin next Thursday.
- NZPA
