Cricket: Twin's century shows coolness

The "other" Marshall can also be counted as a batsman pressing for higher honours after spearheading Northern Districts to a 20-run Shell Cup cricket win over Canterbury at Jade Stadium yesterday.

James Marshall, the 22-year-old identical twin of new test batsman Hamish, scored an unbeaten 100 off 87 balls to provide Northern with their winning total of 249 for seven.

Canterbury were never in serious contention, reaching 229 for nine from their 50 overs.

James Marshall had previously enjoyed scant success at one-day level, despite preceding his brother into first-class cricket. He mustered only 19 runs in three innings last season, and began the present campaign with nine as an opener against Auckland.

Switched to the middle order, James Marshall has responded with successive scores of 51 not out against Central Districts and 100 not out against Canterbury.

Warming to his task with a mid-wicket six off spinner Carl Anderson, he was already moving at a brisk clip when he reached his half-century off 59 balls in 70 minutes.

Then he accelerated, celebrating that milestone with a couple of lusty sixes off Mark Hastings' bowling, and later smacking his fourth legside six at Geoff Allott's expense.

When Allott began the last over of the innings Marshall was on 94. He took a single, then watched as Allott bowled Robbie Hart.

Marshall was unflustered by it all, lofting the fourth ball to reach 99 before stroking a single to cover for his 100.

Assisted by Grant Bradburn and, briefly, Hart, Marshall had overseen the plundering of 86 runs from the last 10 overs.

For Canterbury, the run-out of Hastings without his facing a ball hinted it was not to be the home side's day.

Darron Reekers repeated his six-and-out effort of the previous week and Gary Stead was brilliantly caught by Neal Parlane at point.

Opener Brad Doody and Chris Harris propped up the home side's innings, but the required run rate steadily climbed. After 35 overs Canterbury were only halfway to their target and the rate was 8.33 per over and rising.

Doody eventually broke the shackles with several sparkling cover drives, only to be caught in that area soon after the century partnership had been raised. His 82 runs had come from 115 balls.

It took Harris 86 balls for his half-century, but he, too, holed out in the covers on 55 and it was left to Aaron Redmond, with 39 runs from 27 balls, to launch a heroic but hopeless late assault.

- NZPA