Cricket: Shield race heats up with remarkable ND run

Auckland has Tim McIntosh back for the Northern Districts clash. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It was 14 points, now it's two, and the Plunket Shield title chase has suddenly become mighty interesting.

Central Districts had that significant cushion when the teams switched into limited-overs mode through December and January. But since the resumption of four-day cricket, it's been a different story.

In the three rounds played in that time, CD have taken only two points, from a first innings win over ND. They were beaten outright by Otago and lost first innings points in a draw with Canterbury last week.

ND, by contrast, thumped Auckland and beat Wellington in a record run chase, having conceded first innings points, in Whangarei last Thursday. They host Auckland at Seddon Park today and must fancy their chances against the visitors.

ND won both the shield and one-day titles last season. Auckland snared both the one-day and T20 crowns this season, but can't win a trick in the first-class competition.

The 274-run opening stand between BJ Watling and Brad Wilson is an ND record for the first wicket and set up what turned out to be a comfortable chase of an imposing 385 set by Wellington.

Wilson's 151 took him past 2000 runs for ND and took him to the top of the runscorers in the shield with 584; Watling's 164 not out lifted his average to 77.8, top of those with more than four innings this season.

Senior seamer Graeme Aldridge, with 25 wickets at 20.2 to his name this summer, has been rested, with left armer Bradley Scott coming in.

Auckland have test opener Tim McIntosh back for the game, having been sidelined by a toe injury suffered in the one-day semifinal against Otago on February 9.

Otherwise it is the same group of players who were tonked by 10 wickets by Otago, having been rolled for 46, their second worst first-class score, in the first innings.

"It simply wasn't good enough and the guys are well aware of that," coach Paul Strang said. "Playing professional sport is quite often about standards and being able to live up to them consistently. I don't think we did that in that innings against Otago."

He hopes lessons have been learned out of that disaster.


CD play Otago, four points off the pace, at University Oval in Dunedin. The leaders have made one change, Bevan Small replacing Jeremy Kuru in a medium pace switch.

Otago had an unexpected day and a half off after polishing off Auckland with ease. Veteran Warren McSkimming's 10 for 68 in that game are his best first-class match figures.

In the other game, Canterbury host Wellington at Rangiora.

Points after six rounds: CD 26, ND 24, Otago 22, Canterbury 17, Wellington 15, Auckland 2.