Cricket: Northern down Auckland to head Super Smash table

Dean Brownlie. Photo / George Novak

Northern Districts moved clear at the top of the Georgie Pie Super Smash standings after easing past Auckland by 11 runs at Eden Park yesterday.

After Dean Brownlie helped his side post 158-7, the ND bowlers played their part to restrict Auckland to 147-5 and earn their fifth win from seven matches.

After Brownlie's knock of 57 from 33 balls, Auckland's chase never really got going as regular wickets doomed them to defeat. Martin Guptill (27), Rob Nicol (25) and Colin de Grandhomme (25) all made promising starts but none managed to kick on. Scott Kuggeleijn was the best of the bowlers for ND, claiming 1-19 from four tight overs as Auckland remained stuck in fourth.

Meanwhile, an Otago side missing Jesse Ryder won their first game of the season, snapping a streak of five straight defeats with a nail-biting win over Canterbury.

Ryder withdrew on the morning of the match because of personal reasons but his absence didn't stop Otago from winning by one run.

A rapid 63 from Ryan ten Doeschate saw Otago post 143-7 at Hagley Oval before fellow import Dirk Nannes restricted Canterbury to 142-7 as two wickets fell from the final two balls.

Elsewhere, Wellington made light work of Central Districts to move into second spot on the table.

The Stags' total of 145-6 always looked too low in the earlier game at Eden Park and so it proved as Stephen Murdoch (61 from 35) helped Wellington reach the target with four overs and eight wickets to spare.