Cricket: Nash's knock starts tongues wagging

By GRAHAM REDDAWAY

It did not take long for the news to filter through to the New Zealand cricket selectors that Dion Nash came through a run for Howick Pakuranga on the opening day of a two-day match against Takapuna in the best of health.

It was his first match since returning from Africa with a recurrence of his back injury and the Auckland selectors wasted no time in including him in the Cricket Max side to play Northern Districts.

His team captain, Rowan Armour, who with Tony Sail and Rex Hooton, is an Auckland selector, said Nash had expressed a desire to concentrate solely on his batting.

And he signalled his intentions clearly with an innings of 78.

He has no intention of bowling anything more than the occasional off-spin, Armour said. But that will depend on his fitness and the confidence he has that there will be no more damage.

Howick Pakuranga scored 395-6 declared and there was a milestone for their top order batsman, John Aiken. The former Wellingtonian made his first club century in New Zealand although he has seven first-class hundreds and one at club level in England. Takapuna ended at 86-3.

Andre Adams belted 61 for Grafton against East Coast Bays but once he was dismissed, wily Bays' left-arm spinner, Mark Haslam, took control and was rewarded with 5-55, and Grafton were out for 185. Bays ended at 70-4.

Jamie Stuart's 96 brought North Shore (245) back into their game against Suburbs New Lynn (53-4).

Cornwall skipper Charles Ewart and opening batsman Dave Storer wore black armbands for the fallen pine on One Tree Hill in their match against Parnell, mainly because the tree is part of the club's emblem.

Cornwall made 250-8 declared and had Parnell 58-5 at the close.

Craig Borich made 98 in Waitakere City's 313 against Eden Roskill, who got to 40-1, Papatoetoe made 216 against University Akarana, who were 20-1, while Ellerslie were even- stevens with Birkenhead, at 24-1 in their second innings.