Cricket: McIntosh in top form to crush Otago

Tim McIntosh. Photo / Getty Images

Those who pigeonhole Tim McIntosh as a first-class specialist will have to think again after he bludgeoned his maiden one-day century to help Auckland to a crushing 84-run win over Otago yesterday.

McIntosh's fluent 138 laid the platform for Auckland's record 362 for five at Oamaru, a total Otago never challenged despite an unbeaten 110 from Yasir Arafat.

Otago's chase ended on 278 in the 47th over after Arafat and Greg Todd resurrected their hopes which had been dead in the water at 79 for six.

McIntosh, the left-handed test opener and required for only one previous one-dayer this summer by his province, earlier made a blunt statement in striking 16 fours and three sixes off 127 balls.

He shared a second wicket stand of 194 with Reece Young, who made 94 off 91 balls, before Scott Styris upped the tempo further in a blistering attack.

The national one-day and Twenty20 squad reject took out his frustrations by bludgeoning 55 off just 23 balls, pummelling seven sixes as the Auckland scoring accelerated to dizzy heights.

Fresh from a heavy loss to Central Districts in the domestic Twenty20 final, Auckland took their batting power play at 185 for one at the end of the 38th over before another 177 runs flowed in the closing 12 overs.

Pakistani import Arafat, who bowled a tidy opening spell containing three maidens, came in for particularly fierce punishment before ending his 10 overs with figures of one for 92. Requiring more than seven an over from the outset, Otago's chase faltered immediately when Shaun Haig was dismissed in the first over and he was joined soon after when fellow opener Leighton Morgan was run out.

Once victory was unobtainable Otago's sights were set on reaching 289 to deprive Auckland of a bonus point.

That they came so close to that target owed everything to a partnership of 116 between Greg Todd and allrounder Arafat, the pair advancing Otago from a sickly 79 for six to 195 before Todd holed out at deep mid wicket after scoring 69 off 63 balls, including nine fours and a solitary six.

Fresh from beating Auckland on Saturday, Central Districts returned to New Plymouth's Pukekura Park to crush Canterbury by eight wickets.

Canterbury were dismissed for 77 runs in just 32.4 overs as Central's Michael Mason and Ewen Thompson used the overcast conditions to swing the ball. Central needed just 15 overs to collect a bonus point, losing two wickets on the way to 79.

Former national under-19 captain Kane Williamson scored an unbeaten century as Northern Districts cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

Wellington, who were asked to bat after losing the toss, scored 216, a total boosted by half-centuries from wicketkeeper Chris Nevin and allrounder Luke Woodcock. Northern Districts chased their target down in just 33 overs.

- NZPA