Cricket: Singh adds finish to Adams' attack

Andre Adams. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The aggressive Andre Adams took five wickets, but it was off-spinner Bhupinder Singh who struck the vital blow to allow Auckland to take a six-run first-innings lead over Otago at Colin Maiden Park yesterday.

Even that margin was looking shaky as Otago had Auckland 27 for two in the second innings at stumps.

Otago started the day at 12 for three, slumped to 51 for five but battled back to be 256 for eight at tea within sight of the 298 Auckland made on the first day of the Plunket Shield match.

They survived the second new ball and it was a deflated Auckland pace attack who saw the ball tossed to Singh with Otago needing eight to tie. With the last ball of his first over he trapped Nick Beard in front and Auckland had the lead.

Hero of Otago's recovery was all-rounder Sam Wells, batting at No 7. He scored 74 in a 175-minute stay.

Wells was a model of concentration in defence when the bowlers were on top but carried the attack to the opposition with nine fours when the pitch flattened out. He was dropped at second slip on 12 and at gully on 58.

He shared a couple of productive partnerships which gave the Otago board a decidedly bottom-heavy look, adding 79 with Derek de Boorder, who made 40, and 66 with Ian Butler before falling lbw to Adams.

Butler carried on to make a hard-hit 51 and Neil Wagner carved 41 from the increasingly frustrated Auckland attack.

In the morning Adams had the wickets of Nathan McCullum and Darren Broom to add to the scalp of Neil Broom he took with the last ball of the first day. And in later spells he accounted for both Wells and Butler to finish with five for 94 off 24 overs.

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Wellington grabbed three late wickets but they could not stop Northern Districts from snaring pole position and first innings points at the Basin Reserve. The visitors have a 21-run lead with five first innings wickets standing after ending the second day on 295 for five in response to Wellington's first dig of 274.

Northern Districts' first four batsmen notched half centuries, though they blotted their copybook later on by losing three wickets for just eight runs.

Brad Wilson and Michael Parlane posted a 114-run opening stand before captain James Marshall and Scott Styris carried on the momentum as ND breezed past Wellington's total for the loss of just the openers.

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A former international opener stole the show as Central Districts dominated day two of their match against Canterbury at Napier.

While Jamie How hit a controlled 85, Peter Ingram struck 140 as the home team moved into a dominant position, ending the day on 440 for nine and with an overall lead of 174 runs. Ingram registered his 13th first-class century, hitting 16 fours from his 270-ball innings.