Cricket: Northern salvage pride

Hosts Northern Districts yesterday staked their claim to avoid the wooden spoon in the domestic first-class competition when they faced Otago in the penultimate round.

On a rain-interrupted first day at WestpacTrust Park, the visitors were 107 for nine when bad light brought an early finish at 6.14pm in the State Championship-sponsored competition.

The game will only help determine who will finish bottom this season and, with Otago starting the game in sixth and last place - 10 points behind fifth-placed Northern - their chances of avoiding the wooden spoon looked dim.

The match was played in fits and starts until after lunch due to overnight rain, but it did not take Northern long to make significant inroads into the Otago top order after winning the toss and sending the visitors in.

Northern seamer Joseph Yovich had the experienced pair of Chris Gaffaney, who failed to score, and Craig Cumming, with four, back in the pavilion early, and rookie New Zealand one-day batsman Brendon McCullum was out for six as Otago slumped to 13 for three.

Although their inexperienced middle order forged a couple of mini-partnerships to avoid total embarrassment, they were still unable to master the all-seam Northern attack. Duncan Drew top-scored with 28 and Nathan Morland got 23.

Yovich finished with three for 53. Scott Styris, who took three for eight off seven overs, and Simon Andrews, with two for 22 off 11, were both impressive.

* Auckland have a battle on their hands after a rain-shortened opening day of their match against Canterbury at the Village Green in Christchurch. At stumps, Auckland, joint leaders with Wellington on 33 points, were 127 for five off 62.4 overs.

Several batsmen got a start but did not go on with the job. Tim McIntosh made 17, Nick Horsley 14 and Llorne Howell 20, but Auckland were in trouble at 95 for five. However, Rob Nicol was unbeaten on 36 to prevent further inroads.

The damage was done by first-class newcomer Cleighten Cornelius, who took three for 39. Ryan Burton and Peter Fulton picked up one wicket apiece.

* A lower-order revival and the wicket of Wellington captain Matthew Bell left Central Districts with an even share of honours on day one of their game at McLean Park in Napier yesterday.

Central, third on the table on 26 points, and yesterday spearheaded by Andrew Schwass, posted a first-innings tally of 218 after being asked to bat first on a pitch with pace and bounce and had Wellington 21 for two when bad light forced an early end to the day's play.

Schwass, leading wicket-taker in the competition, produced his best effort with the bat this season to help skipper Jacob Oram and then fellow-seamer Michael Mason push Central out to a respectable score.

The home side were in strife at 76 for five before Oram, with his first half-century in his third game since a return from injury, and Schwass, who hit 44, added 46 for the seventh wicket.

Schwass, who mixed aggression with solid defence, and Mason, with 32, produced the best partnership of the innings - 64 for the eighth wicket - to take Central past 200.

Schwass hit five fours and two sixes in his last seven scoring strokes before tea but was content to collect singles after the break as Mason began to dominate.

Best of the Wellington bowlers was left-arm paceman James Franklin with three for 53 off 20 overs.

Central left-armer Lance Hamilton made the first breakthrough with the scalp of former test opener Bell in the ninth over of the Wellington innings.

Schwass capped a good day with the wicket of Luke Woodcock in his first over after replacing pace spearhead Brent Hefford.

- NZPA