Cricket: Wickets tumble at Eden Park before rain takes a hand

By TERRY MADDAFORD

There were only three hours of play on Eden Park's outer oval yesterday, but that was enough time for 11 wickets to fall and the match between Auckland and Wellington to be advanced sufficiently to produce a result.

Along the way there had also been time for both teams to ensure themselves of at least one State Championship point, courtesy of a rare first innings tie.

Not that it was much comfort for test captain Stephen Fleming, who was keen, no doubt, for some time in the middle before next week's opening test against India.

But if a poor dress-rehearsal is to be followed by the big show, Fleming is well prepared. Dismissed first ball in Wellington's first innings, he lasted until the fourth in their second, again without scoring - removed for the second time in as many days by Andre Adams.

When Auckland's summer weather turned sour and encouraged the umpires to send the players from the field midway through the afternoon session, Wellington were in survival mode.

At 30 for three in their second knock after the teams had eked out a paltry 113 each in their first innings, Wellington were still contending with the vagaries of a lively pitch.

It had been like that from the start of the second day's play as Mark Richardson and Tama Canning attempted to advance Auckland's first innings from their overnight 46 for two.

They added a dozen runs before Canning was taken at third slip by Neal Parlane.

Richardson followed a run later, bowled by Andrew Penn.

Rob Nicol, with visions of continuing from his fine innings in Gisborne earlier in the week, was undone after scoring five tentative runs by Mathew Walker's medium pace when he chose not to play a shot.

He turned to see his off stump gone.

Five runs later, and from an even better delivery, Walker sneaked one off the pitch between Kyle Mills' pad and bat to shatter his castle.

At 72 for six, and 73 for seven not much later when Brooke Walker was trapped leg-before by his namesake before he had scored, Auckland were in tatters.

Needing to either defend and grind their way to a first innings lead or attack and to hell with it, Adams chose the latter.

A first-ball sighter was followed by a huge six off Walker, and soon after, three boundaries in a run-a-minute 21-run stay.

The swashbuckling innings was ended by Iain O'Brien, then Walker picked up Reece Young to complete a haul of five for 31, just shy of his career-best of five for 29.

Through the mayhem, Craig Pryor stood firm and with Gareth Shaw, managed to get the scores level before Shaw went leg-before to Penn.

Pryor's 66-minute, 16-run stay deserved better. On the other hand, the Wellington bowlers were justly rewarded for their efforts on a pitch which provided good bounce and carry, and gave plenty of encouragement with more than a little seam movement.

Determined to produce something more akin to a solid effort in their second innings, Wellington had a nightmare start.

Captain Matthew Bell was run out when Richard Jones was enticed by Brooke Walker to attempt a second run which was never a possibility.

It completed an inglorious double for Bell whose first innings ended in the same manner.

Jones lasted not much longer and was followed soon after by Fleming. Then came the rain, which may well serve only to ensure another lively day's play when they resume, hopefully, this morning.