Cricket: Bopara helps Aces to first win

English cricket international Ravi Bopara finally broke his duck on New Zealand soil yesterday.

The import topscored for Auckland with 89 before they secured their first win of the summer with a 37-run victory over Otago in a national one-day match at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland.

Bopara's well-paced 104-ball innings featured only four fours, but in tandem with a robust 70 from captain Gareth Hopkins he was pivotal towards pushing his side to a highly competitive 283 for nine in their 50 overs.

That was always going to stretch Otago, whose run chase looked solid at 158 for three before the loss of three quick wickets left their lower order with too much work to do.

Opener Shaun Haig gave Otago some impetus with 81 off 85 balls after the early loss of Hamish Rutherford and Neil Broom and he had support from skipper Craig Cumming with 46 off 50 deliveries.

But they both perished in the middle overs, leaving Ian Butler, with 43, and Neil Wagner, 27, to edge Otago towards their target without at any stage threatening to reach it.

The Auckland bowlers shared the spoils, with Michael Bates, Richard Sherlock, Roneel Hira and Bhupinder Singh all collecting two apiece.

Earlier, Bopara's measured knock contrasted with Hopkins' 61-ball 70 as the Auckland captain hit seven fours.

Anthony Bullick was the pick of the Otago attack with three for 49.

ND v CANTERBURY

Corey Anderson - a late call-up for Canterbury - spurred his side to a 42-run one-day cricket win over Northern Districts. He was the seventh bowler called on by captain Kruger van Wyk as Northern Districts threatened to make heavy inroads on their imposing target of 297 at Seddon Park in Hamilton.

He responded with career-best figures of five for 26 as Northern Districts lost their way, finishing on 254 for nine after being 143 without loss.

They were cruising before the introduction of the 19-year-old allrounder changed the course of the game, Five wickets tumbled for the addition of only 12 runs.

Northern Districts rapidly lost their shape once opener BJ Watling was prised out for 63 when wicketkeeper van Wyk pulled off a smart stumping off the left-arm medium-fast Anderson.

WELLINGTON v CD

James Franklin made his presence felt in his latest comeback from injury to guide Wellington to a six-wicket win. The New Zealand allrounder scored an unbeaten 84 off 103 balls to see Wellington safely home at the Basin.

His was the standout performance as Wellington overcame Central Districts' 217 with 37 balls to spare.

Wellington's best bowler was offspinner Jeetan Patel, who gave up only 21 runs from his 10 overs.

- NZPA