Cricket: Northern stay on top of the Plunket Shield

Jeet Raval of the Aces bowls. Photo / Getty Images

Northern Districts and Wellington recorded resounding victories on the final day of round four of cricket's Plunket Shield today.

Competition leaders Northern easily wrapped up the Canterbury tail in the first session at Seddon Park to win by 241 runs, while Wellington had few problems dismissing Otago at the Basin Reserve, cruising to a 286-run victory.

Northern always looked likely to take the points in Hamilton, after a huge second innings total of 436 gave them a 454-run lead to defend. Canterbury were already in trouble last night at stumps, with five batsmen back in the pavilion and still 338 runs required.

Things didn't get any better for Canterbury this morning, losing Logan van Beek (19) early and Andy Ellis only able to add 16 to his overnight score of 70.

Todd Astle (44) and Ryan McCone (31) provided some hard hitting late but it wasn't nearly enough to save the Wizards from defeat, as they crumbled to 213 all out. Graeme Aldridge was the chief destroyer for Northern, matching the three wickets he took yesterday afternoon to finish with career-best figures of 6-41.

Incredibly, it was Northern's first outright first class win at Seddon Park - their primary venue - since 2002. The win was the Knights' second from four matches this season, and it boosted their lead at the top of the table to 12 points, while Canterbury are now rooted to the bottom.

In the capital, Wellington found finishing off Otago similarly comfortable. All three results were in play heading into day four, but the hosts picked up wickets early and often today to register their first win in this season's competition.

Otago resumed today on 30-1, requiring a further 412 runs to claim an unlikely win. But that possibility was vanquished early in the day, with Otago's hopes of holding out for a draw disappearing not long after.

Craig Cumming was the only Volts batsman to offer any resistance, compiling a patient 61, with none of his teammates scoring over 20. Wellington regularly took wickets throughout the day, with seamer Scott Kuggeleijn (4-50) and spinner Jeetan Patel (3-49) doing the majority of the damage.

Wellington's win saw them rise to fourth in the Plunket Shield, edging just ahead of Otago.

In the day's other game, Central Districts were content to settle for the draw against Auckland, batting out the day without incident. Matt Sinclair notched his 33rd first class century but that was the only real action of note as Central crawled to 367-6 before stumps were drawn.

Auckland consolidated their position of second, with Central Districts just four points behind.

Northern Knights
First innings 169

Canterbury Wizards
First innings 151

Northern Knights
Second innings 436-9 dec

Canterbury Wizards
Second innings (overnight 116-5)

G Worker lbw b Aldridge 0
J Abraham c McGlashan b Aldridge 1
P Fulton c Baker b Santner 25
T Latham c Marshall b Aldridge 0
H Nicholls c McGlashan b Arnel 2
A Ellis c Hatwell b Arnel 86
L van Beek c Hatwell b Arnel 19
T Astle lbw b Aldridge 44
R McCone c Marshall b Aldridge 31
M Henry not out 0
W Lonsdale b GW Aldridge 0

Extras (3b, 1wd, 1nb) 5
Total (74 overs) 213
Fall: 0 (Worker), 3 (Abraham), 3 (Latham), 19 (Nicholls), 67 (Fulton), 132 (van Beek), 146 (Ellis), 212 (Astle), 213 (McCone), 213 (Lonsdale).
Bowing: G Aldridge 20-7-41-6, B Arnel 20-5-41-3 (1w, 1nb), J Baker 10-6-22-0, M Santner 20-2-90-1, H Marshall 2-2-0-0, J Marshall 2-0-16-0.
Result: Northern Districts won by 241 runs.

Scoreboard after the third day of Plunket Shield match between Wellington and Otago from the Basin Reserve, Wellington.
Wellington Firebirds
First Innings 312

Otago Volts
First innings 242

Wellington Firebirds
Second innings 371-7 dec

Otago Volts
Second innings (overnight 30-1)

C Cumming b Kuggeleijn 61
A Redmond c Austin-Smellie b Patel 8
M Bracewell lbw b Patel 2
N Broom c Franklin b McKay 6
S Wells c Austin-Smellie b Kuggeleijn 19
N McCullum c Austin-Smellie b McKay 8
D de Boorder c Murdoch b Woodcock 12
N Wagner b Patel 14
I Butler not out 5
S Finn c Patel b Kuggeleijn 7
J McMillan b Kuggeleijn 0

Extras (12b, 1wd) 13
Total (68.3 overs) 155
Fall: 30 (Redmond), 35 (Bracewell), 48 (Broom), 88 (Wells), 105 (McCullum), 114 (Cumming), 129 (Wagner), 141 (de Boorder), 155 (Finn), 155 (McMillan).
Bowing: A McKay 19-6-34-2 (1w), S Kuggeleijn 12.3-2-50-4, J Patel 28-13-49-3, L Woodcock 5-2-10-1, H Boam 4-4-0-0.
Result: Wellington won by 286 runs.

Central Stags
First innings 367

Auckland Aces
First innings 447

Central Stags
Second innings (overnight 207-1)

P Ingram c Hopkins b de Boorder 139
B Smith c Parlane b Martin 35
M Sinclair not out 108
C Cachopa c de Grandhomme b Martin 16
K van Wyk c de Grandhomme b de Boorder 41
K Noema-Barnett lbw b de Boorder 0
T Nethula c de Grandhomme b Mills 18
Extras (1b, 3lb, 6nb) 10
Total (for 6 wkts dec, 113.5 overs) 367
Fall: 123 (Smith), 207 (Ingram), 230 (Cachopa), 318 (van Wyk), 326 (Noema-Barnett), 367 (Nethula).
Bowing: K Mills 8.5-0-38-1, M Bates 7-2-23-0 (1nb), C de Grandhomme 2-0-33-0, D Bartlett 10-4-30-0, B Martin 42-12-90-2 (1nb), A de Boorder 36-9-108-3 (1nb), J Raval 8-0-41-0 (3nb).
Result: Match drawn.