Cricket: Marshall's stoic ton forces draw

Attention to detail got James Marshall his 5th first-class century. Picture / Kenny Rodger

James Marshall showed plenty of patience to deliver his Northern Districts team the desired result in the State Championship match against Canterbury in Hamilton yesterday.

Marshall pitched his tent at Westpac Park to score a stoical 100 not out as Northern Districts reached 334 for four in their second innings before the teams agreed at 5pm that a result would not be forthcoming and the game was declared a draw.

Canterbury piled on 515 for eight declared to secure first innings points in their only turn at bat after centuries to tailenders Paul Wiseman and Brandon Hiini, and took to the field yesterday hopeful of forcing an outright decision.

Northern Districts resumed on 89 for one, still 157 runs short of simply making Canterbury bat again.

Any thoughts of turning the game on its head and winning it themselves were unrealistic so the day was simply about survival.

They went about their task diligently, with overnight pair BJ Watling and Mark Orchard advancing the score to 124 before they were parted when Watling was trapped leg before wicket by Chris Harris for 67.

That brought Marshall to the crease, where he remained until the end, his fifth first-class century owing everything to his attention to detail.

He eschewed anything fancy but took the opportunity to put away the bad balls, hitting 13 fours and two sixes in an innings lasting 261 minutes.

The removal of Orchard for 68 then Daniel Flynn for three led to some flutters as Northern Districts stumbled to 179 for four, but Marshall found an able ally in Nick Horsley.

Horsley stayed with Marshall until stumps were drawn, adding 69 not out himself in 181 minutes as they defied Canterbury's best efforts.

The unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 155 between Marshall and Horsley was a Northern Districts record against allcomers.

CD v Otago Central Districts were toasting the contribution of an English cricket import just as Otago were cursing the absence of theirs in New Plymouth.

Former England test player Min Patel spun his new team to victory on a docile Pukekura Park pitch, taking five for 51 as Central Districts won by 99 runs after dismissing Otago for 301.

The maximum eight points saw Central Districts overtake Otago in second place after five rounds, eight behind leaders Wellington.

Central Districts' lack of spinners saw a call made to veteran left-armer Patel, a Kent stalwart since 1989, who played two tests for England in 1996, but he hardly set the world alight in his debut last week with figures of two for 158 against Canterbury.

But he spun a web around the Otago batsmen yesterday as they chased 401 to win in a minimum of 100 overs without their batting star Jonathan Trott, who has joined the England emerging players side.

The key moment came just before lunch with Otago cruising at 123 for one and Shaun Haig on 85 in just his second first-class match.

Patel's wicket of Haig sparked a collapse of four for 11 and Central Districts sniffed victory.

Patel had Haig caught by a helmeted Tim Weston after a slick 106-ball knock, including 16 fours.

Patel then had Sean Eathorne caught and bowled for four and added the key wicket of gloveman Gareth Hopkins after the break, bowled for nought.

Allrounder Warren McSkimming prolonged the agony with 80 off 118 balls before paceman Ewen Thompson removed him to a catch by Patel.

With dark clouds rolling in and Otago praying for rain, Patel had the final say when he trapped David Sewell leg before wicket.

- NZPA