Cricket: Auckland well placed for third win in a row

Auckland are well positioned to secure their third consecutive State Championship victory with Tama Canning striking the vital last session blow against Central Districts at Eden Park yesterday.

Central will resume their second innings at 274 for eight this morning, 220 ahead of the home side.

Black Cap Mathew Sinclair was always going to be the prize wicket for Auckland.

While there have been a string of batting failures in the third-round clash, Lou Vincent showed that the Eden Park No 2 wicket was full of possibilities, as he notched a career- best unbeaten 185, with 140 of those runs coming in boundaries.

Sinclair, with a penchant for massive scores once he is established, looked to be heading towards Vincent territory as he steered Central to 170 for 5.
The Eden Park wicket has won praise from both sides, rewarding the pacemen who bend their backs and hit the deck. But as Vincent showed, it was also ready to pay dividends for batters with enough patience and a range of strokes.

Sinclair always shaped as the Central dangerman and Canning led a celebration party after the international lost his wicket.

With a century just five runs away, Sinclair prodded at a fine lifting delivery from Canning, then tossed his bat in the air in disgust as Reece Young grabbed the catch.

Sinclair, who had been involved in a verbal altercation with Auckland fielder Matt Horne, walked away in disbelief and Central staggered for a while.

Wicketkeeper Bevan Griggs, who is 24 runs short of his second first- class century, and Andrew Schwass have put on 40 for the eighth wicket, with Griggs almost entirely responsible for the scoring.

But Auckland are best placed going in to the final day and should have Andre Adams back in the attack this morning after he was struck by an ankle problem.

After Vincent had led Auckland to a 54-run first-innings advantage, their pacemen bowled extremely well to hammer home the advantage.

They were backed by a strong fielding effort, with fine catches to Vincent and Aaron Barnes and a superb run out from captain Brooke Walker.

Only four overs were bowled on the third day of Otago's match against Canterbury at the University Oval in Dunedin. Otago moved from 145 for five overnight through to 164 for five.

Time lost because of weather must be made up on that day, so with only 100 overs left in the match the game seems destined for a draw.