Cricket: Stead and Bond break Canty eighth-wicket record

It takes some effort to remove a Hadlee from cricket's record books.

To erase two Hadlees with one stroke requires a feat of monumental proportions, but Gary Stead and Shane Bond achieved that at the Village Green in Christchurch over the weekend.

An eighth-wicket partnership of 210 runs by Stead and Bond, spread over Saturday afternoon and yesterday morning, provided not just the backbone but also much of the flesh of Canterbury's first-innings 461 against Northern Districts.

By stumps last evening in the State Championship, Northern were 145 for two, with Alun Evans out of the match nursing a hand broken by a Bond bazooka. Stead (190) made his highest first-class score and Bond (100) registered his maiden century. The previous best eighth-wicket stand for Canterbury against allcomers was 166 by Richard and Dayle Hadlee against Auckland in 1983-84.

The Stead-Bond partnership slots in third among the most prolific for the eighth wicket in New Zealand first-class history, behind the incredible 433 world record of Victor Trumper and Arthur Sims for an Australian XI against Canterbury in 1913-14, and 215 by Junior Murray and Anderson Cummins for West Indies against Otago in 1994-95.

So it becomes the biggest between two New Zealanders, ahead of the 190 runs (unbroken) by Jack Mills and Cyril Allcott for New Zealand against the Civil Service during the 1927 tour of England.

But Canterbury coach Michael Sharpe was interested only in the present when Bond walked out to join Stead at 192 and Paul Wiseman still being semi-attached to the Black Caps in Wellington.

Bond did more damage to Northern when they replied, having Brad Wilson leg before wicket in his second over, then breaking the left hand of Evans, who returned from hospital with his lower arm in plaster.

Young opener BJ Watling and captain James Marshall ducked and weaved before settling into a splendid third-wicket stand worth 134 runs until Marshall was dismissed by Stephen Cunis just before bad light stopped play. Watling was unbeaten on 65, one more than his previous best first-class score.

* Low cloud and drizzle restricted play on the second day of the match between Central Districts and Auckland at McLean Park to just nine overs yesterday.

The weather prevented a resumption of play at the scheduled start time of 10.30am and when it finally did begin at 1pm, Auckland were 12 without loss in their first innings in reply to Central Districts 214.

By the time the misty rain finally halted play for the day nine overs later, the visitors had progressed through to 29 without loss.

Should play get under way on time today, Auckland will have Matt Horne not out on 21 with Richard Jones on eight.

Whatever the outcome, Auckland are assured of hosting the final.

* Debutant Will Somerville took a great catch and took three for 26 to put Otago into a commanding position after the first day against Wellington, who were skittled for 168 at the Queenstown Events Centre. In reply Otago were 20 without loss

Somerville divde full length to take a stunning catch in the gully to help dismiss Luke Woodcock.

And when the lanky 196cm 20-year-old got his chance with the ball he proved unplayable through the combination of flight and extra bounce.