Cricket: Seamer skittles Wellington as CD steal the title

Lance Hamilton's final act in first-class cricket was typically lion-hearted as he bowled Central Districts to a State Championship title yesterday.

The left-arm seamer took six for 34 to help dismiss Wellington for 120 in their second innings and clinch the final by 113 runs on the fifth and final day at the Basin Reserve.

Hamilton, who turned 33 on Wednesday, emerged dripping with champagne from a jubilant Central dressing room to confirm he was likely to pack away the whites.

"I've told the guys it was likely to be my last first-class match and this win makes the decision easier. It'd be pretty hard to top what we've done this season," he said after CD won the title for the first time in seven years.

"You always play with a view to getting higher honours and when I didn't make the New Zealand A squad ... It's difficult to carry on."

The Napier real estate agent played two one-day internationals for against Australia last year but was overlooked for the A side this week for New Zealand's winter tour to Australia.

Yesterday's haul moved him to 208 first-class wickets from 58 matches at 25.34 runs apiece.

He led the best pace attack in the competition this season, and combined with regular partner-in-crime Mike Mason for 15 Wellington wickets.

Top qualifiers Wellington needed only a draw to win the competition and were in control of a dour encounter until Ross Taylor blasted 106 on Thursday to set Wellington 234 to win.

Two Hamilton scalps later on Thursday saw Wellington resume on a shaky 37 for three when rain cleared for a 1pm start yesterday. Central finished the job in just under three hours in the 62nd over.

In one blistering over Hamilton cracked Grant Elliott on the helmet then had him caught behind, before inking out former international Chris Nevin two balls later.

Mason deserved kudos, taking seven for 96 off 54 overs in the match after battling Achilles tendon, back and shoulder injuries in the leadup.

"They were all guts, all heart," Central coach Graham Barlow said of his pacemen.

"Mase should have been in a wheelchair but he just kept going."

Barlow saved some barbs for the national selectors whose decisions could rob him of Hamilton and Mathew Sinclair next season.

Sinclair, named the country's best first-class batsman of 2006-07, is weighing up offers from Tasmania and South Africa's Eastern Province depending on whether he is included among New Zealand Cricket's 20 contracted players next month.

"It's in the New Zealand selectors' hands. If Mathew goes, it'll be a travesty in my opinion," Barlow said.

"Lance has been huge and he still doesn't get picked for New Zealand A ... You've got to ask a question."

Barlow felt his side won the hard way here after being sent in to bat, then having to bowl Wellington out twice on an excellent batting pitch.

Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson didn't bemoan the absence of his injured pace bowlers Iain O'Brien and Mark Gillespie, along with New Zealand test squad members James Franklin and Jeetan Patel.

"We knew we were under-strength and I can't speak highly enough of the bowlers again, they've done a magnificent job. Some of the batsmen would be pretty disappointed with their performance."

Scoreboard

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Wellington v Central Districts (Basin Reserve)
Fifth and final day 



Central Districts 
First innings 312
Second innings 221

Wellington
First innings 300
Second innings (37-3 overnight)

M. Bell lbw b Hamilton 9
L. Woodcock c Griggs b Hamilton 6
M. Parlane c Griggs b Diamanti 36
J. Ryder c Sinclair b Mason 4
N. Parlane b Hamilton 8
G. Elliott c Griggs b Hamilton 0
C. Nevin c Griggs b Hamilton 2
S. Mills lbw b Mason 18
D. Bowden c Thompson b Hamilton 21
S. Rasmussen lbw Mason 0
R. Fouhy not out 1
Extras (1b, 11lb, 1w, 2nb) 15
Total (61.5 overs) 120

Fall: 1/11, 2/18, 3/23, 4/47, 5/51, 6/53, 7/86, 8/107, 9/109, 120.

Bowling: M. Mason 21-13-28-3 (1w), L. Hamilton 16.5-6-34-6 (2nb), E. Thompson 8-1-20-0, M. Patel 12-6-17-0, B. Diamanti 4-2-9-1.

Result: Central Districts won by 113 runs.

- NZPA