Cricket: Wellington await verdict on citing

By TERRY MADDAFORD AND NZPA

The most awaited verdict yet in New Zealand Cricket's clampdown on player behaviour was tied up in red tape last night.

Code of conduct commissioner Ross Crotty scurried out of the Basin Reserve leaving the Wellington team unaware of their fate after their citing for "unacceptable behaviour" by Otago coach Glenn Turner on Tuesday.

Turner accused Wellington's entire X1 of forcing square-leg umpire Evan Watkin's intervention in the dismissal of Chris Gaffaney in the State Championship match through excessive appealing.

Gaffaney, who seemed to have edged the ball to third slip, was originally given not out by umpire Mike George.

Crotty could have given his decision verbally after yesterday's judicial hearing, which followed soon after Wellington had won the match by four wickets.

But the Wellington lawyer's verdict will not be made public until today, after his written report has gone through the "correct channels" at NZC's Christchurch headquarters.

"He's reserved his decision. He wants to get it right because there is obviously a lot of interest in it," NZC spokeswoman Michelle Lewis said.

Yesterday's hearing lasted 55 minutes. Turner and captain Craig Cumming, the non-striker at the time of the incident, represented Otago.

Captain Richard Jones and manager Earle Cooper presented Wellington's case.

* Auckland have everything to play for on the last day of their four-day match against Northern Districts at Eden Park today.

Headed temporarily when Wellington took outright points from Otago, Auckland were back sharing top spot in the State Championship race when they collected first innings points yesterday.

In having Northern struggling at 57 for four in their second innings - a lead of just 21 - Auckland are well placed to kick on and take maximum points and a four-point lead.

It was a well-rounded effort from the home side.

Resuming at 244 for three and still 140 from a first-innings lead, Auckland had a couple of setbacks before captain Brooke Walker showed the way.

He and Reece Young added 67 in 91 minutes for the seventh wicket before Young was removed by Joseph Yovich - his 100th wicket in first-class play - for 19.

Walker and Sanjeewa Silva continued the momentum to reach 413.

Walker fell to Matthew Hart for 63 after almost three hours.

After conceding 33 from his four overs on the second day, Hart was at his best yesterday, taking three wickets for four runs from his last six overs.

Needing 37 to get back in credit, Northern began badly when James Marshall was cleaned out by Richard Morgan.

Hart then led the salvage operation, but that ended with Michael Parlane unceremoniously run out in a terible mix-up.

Scott Styris was well picked up at third slip off Chris Drum without scoring. Hart followed soon after when deceived by Walker.

Faced with an early end, Hamish Marshall and Grant Bradburn battled hard to reach stumps.

* Robbie Frew (79 not out), Shanan Stewart (54) and Gary Stead (31 not out) led a Canterbury fightback yesterday that forced their match against Central Districts into the final day.

That did not seem likely after Canterbury were dismissed in their first innings for 153 before lunch, a deficit of 212, and were then two for none after the opening over of their second innings.

But by stumps, Canterbury had improved to 178 for three to reduce the overall deficit to 34.