Cricket: Shield win caps record season for Aldridge

Northern Districts captain Daniel Vettori shows off the silverware. Picture / Fotopress

Graeme Aldridge sealed a record-breaking season with Northern Districts as they won the State Shield one-day title in New Plymouth.

He set a domestic one-day season record of 30 wickets as his four for 38 off nine overs led Northern to a 20-run win over defending champions Central Districts at Pukekura Park on Saturday.

The Daniel Vettori-captained Northern were defending just 190 but thanks to Aldridge's demolition of the top three Central batsmen, and some key scalps from allrounder Joseph Yovich, the Knights dismissed the hosts for 170 in the 48th over.

Aldridge confirmed his status as the form bowler of the one-day season as he broke Andre Adams' record of 28 wickets for Auckland in the 1999-2000 season.

Man of the match Aldridge said this final was tougher than two years ago when they beat Auckland by 17 runs.

"It's great. We didn't have a large total to defend but we worked as a unit," he said. "In the end you could say it was easy, but with [Glen] Sulzberger still at the crease we couldn't be confident."

Aldridge admitted he was surprised by his stellar season with the ball and paid tribute to Daryl Tuffey's input.

"Usually my aim is my runs per over ... it's unusual for me to take that many wickets, it's usually the other guys.

"It helps with Daryl bowling at the other end, with his reputation and the way he bowls they look at me and think I'm a little bit looser. That's why I probably get more chances."

Aldridge though was guarded about a possible international call-up.

"I'm not sure if it's realistic at this stage, but it's everyone's aim to play international cricket.

"Maybe the next three or four years could be my best."

Central captain Sulzberger thought they had done enough to win in the field.

"It's disappointing. Probably the wicket slowed up a little bit in the second half which we didn't expect it to do.

"But they played really well and deserved the win," he said.

"We were really happy to restrict them to 190 and in the end it came down to our batting and it came down to the pressure ND put on us. Nothing much we could do."

With Tuffey applying the brakes, Aldridge did the damage at the top, removing dangerman Jamie How (caught behind), Craig Spearman (leg before) and Ross Taylor (bowled) in an opening six-over spell of three for 21.

New Zealand batsman Mathew Sinclair looked to be carrying Central through with a slick 50 off 69 balls including a huge six off Vettori, but when he charged Yovich and was caught at third man the momentum swung again.

Central were then reliant on Sulzberger, and with 50 required off the last 10 overs with four wickets in hand they had their noses in front.

But Vettori cleverly rotated his five bowlers as Yovich struck again to end with three for 42 and Aldridge bowled Lance Hamilton, before No 11 Brent Hefford's run out saw Sulzberger stranded on 40 not out.

Veteran left-arm paceman Hamilton was again Central's star with the ball, ending with three for 44 off 10 overs including the big wicket of Vettori for nine.

Hamilton ended with 18 wickets for the season at 17.56 apiece - second only to Aldridge's tally.

Vettori was again Northern's big hope with the bat after back to back centuries opening the innings against Auckland and Canterbury in the past week.

But after two early boundaries he played a loose cut shot at Hamilton and Hefford gleefully held the catch at third man.

Former Glamorgan batsman Alun Evans top scored with 39 off 64 balls while Hamish Marshall had the base for a useful score before being run out for 30 by How.

- NZPA