Cricket: Northern fights on in fading light

By TERRY MADDAFORD

TAUPO - The Auckland and Northern Districts cricketers wrote another weird and wacky chapter in a sometimes bizarre season on the first day of the Shell Trophy final at Taupo's Owen Delany Park yesterday.

In a lopsided batting effort, James Marshall and Scott Styris led Northern's first-innings effort with 81 runs each.

Later, two players not needed for test duty helped the Northern cause. Simon Doull chipped in with an unbeaten 43 and with Bruce Martin added 49 in an unbroken last-wicket partnership, which steered their side to 259 for nine before the umpire's light meter finally jammed on "too dark" and stumps were pulled.

After starting the day in reasonable conditions, the light deteriorated so badly that by 3.20 pm the floodlights were on. They could not halt the gathering gloom for long.

Tea was taken early because of the failing light, with Northern on 231 for nine.

The players returned for just 12 minutes, in which another 20 runs were added.

They then retreated for 24 minutes, came back for three - another eight runs - before the umpires again decided the grey skies, even with 144 lights in full blaze, were too dark for first-class cricket to continue.

Eventually, at 4.46 pm, play was called off, the lights doused and everyone - including the 33 spectators - went home.

Before that, there had been real interest from both camps.

For Northern, James Marshall held together a shaky top order in a solid three-hour battle with an Auckland attack bowling a much better line than they had managed on a previous visit.

They quickly chipped out Michael Parlane, needed a little longer to get rid of Mark Bailey, but then claimed Neal Parlane - with a direct hit from Tama Canning - and Hamish Marshall to hold sway at 67 for four.

But Styris and James Marshall, who will be New Zealand A team-mates in England this year, were in no mood for surrender, adding 89 at one a minute to reach 156 before Marshall was trapped in front by Andre Adams.

Styris charged on, adding another 49 with Joseph Yovich (who contributed just seven) before he was cleaned out by Canning. Within minutes 205 for six had become 208 for eight - when Grant Bradburn fell to a Brooke Walker direct hit - and then 210 for nine.

Enter Doull and Martin who, despite the on-off play, added what might prove an invaluable 49 runs.

In scoring his second run, Doull took his first-class tally beyond 1500 while Walker, in claiming Yovich, picked up his 50th wicket in his 26th outing.

Doull's 43 came from 42 deliveries and included eight boundaries.

Someone forgot to tell him it was too dark for such inspired hitting.

With four further scheduled days there is plenty of time for a result, hopefully without the need for lights or other outside influences.