Cricket: Cairns prevails over Cornwall

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Matt Cairns and his Parnell team-mates did their best to spoil Cornwall's 50th jubilee celebrations on the first day of Auckland's two-day club championship yesterday.

On a day's play which had a strange feel to it with the representative players missing - in Christchurch for their State Championship build-up - Cairns helped himself to the first century of the two-day season. His 120 against a Cornwall attack which showed little menace laid the foundation for a healthy 299 for five.

Team-mate Willie Barton was cruelly denied his 100 when out first ball after tea for 94. Parnell must declare their innings at that total leaving Cornwall with 300 to get for first innings points next Saturday.

Grafton, surprisingly sent in at Windsor Park by East Coast Bays captain Mark Haslam, batted all day for 271 with five batsmen reaching 30 but none going on to 50.

Papatoetoe opted to bat first at home against Howick Pakuranga but managed only 165 with their professional Will Jefferson getting 32 and, a little lower in the order, Nick Edwards 54. In reply, Howick Pakuranga were finding it just as difficult in reaching 42/2.

Waitakere relished the condition at Devonport Domain posting 309 after winning the toss against North Shore. Some stout lower order batting from Paul Matthews, unbeaten on 57, helped push the score beyond 300. In reply, the North Shore openers found batting just as easy ending the day on 42 without loss.

First innings points might not be long in coming at Birkenhead. After dismissing the home side for 188, Ellerslie ended the day on 163/8 thanks in no small part to Aaron Good's unbeaten 70. Good helped rescue a desperate situation with Ellerslie teetering at 8/3 and later 96/8. Earlier Shanthan Naidu had done his bit with the ball claiming 5-52.

Suburbs New Lynn, at 132/3, are well-placed to overhaul Eden-Roskill's 221 at Keith Hay Park. While Simon Sheridan and Hayden Comer managed half centuries for Eden Roskill, they had little support elsewhere.

Kevin Murphy was cruelly denied a century scoring 98 as Takapuna piled on 324/8 declared after winning the toss and batting first at Onewa Domain. A solid 83 from James Barrett played a major hand in the massive total. In reply Cornwall were struggling at 28/4 with Andy Niblett the destroyer taking 4-11 from 10 overs.

University's Nick Smeeton scored 82 of University's 215 against Grafton at Victoria Park. In reply the home side were comfortably-placed at 76/2. Attention today switches back to the one-day game with semifinals in the premier and first grade competitions.

Grafton play Howick Pakuranga and North Shore meet East Coast Bays in the premiers while Takapuna meetsUniversity and Suburbs New Lynn against Eden Roskill.

- THE HERALD ON SUNDAY