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Central through to Shield Final

Tuesday, February 3 2004

With the match in doubt after two days of continuous rain in the beautiful surroundings of Pukekura Park, SKY TV was the main assistant in drying out the field after hiring a helicopter to help the process. Not sure if Central were happy about it though, since if the game had been rained out, the home side would have gone through to the final.

The match was reduced to a 40-over affair, and with the pitch being under covers for the last few days, Jacob Oram had no hesitation in sending Auckland into bat. The conditions suggested it was conductive to seam bowling, and so it proved, with Michael Mason and Lance Hamilton making the most of the swinging new ball.

The tourist’s top 5 were quickly back in the pavilion, after being nicked out behind chasing wide deliveries. Horne, Howell, Barnes, Mills could only blame themselves for their dismissals. With Tim McIntosh being omitted from the 12 for Andre Adams, the allrounders soon found themselves in the middle as soon as the 4th over. It begs the question again why Auckland continue fielding allrounders batting as high as 4 or 5, when the batting has been the side’s weakness throughout the season.

Central, with arguably the strongest provincial bowling attack in NZ, restricted Auckland to 50 at the halfway stage. At that point they were five wickets down, and looking to Andre Adams (12) and Tama Canning (26) to get them somewhere near a position or respectability. However after their 29-run partnership, it triggered four run-outs in succession that featured some spectacular fielding and some stupid calling from the Auckland batsmen.

Mason has been in blinding form lately against Auckland, following up from his 6-25 last week with another tight bowling display. If the CD man can follow this up on Friday and Sunday, he should come close to a berth in the South African squads.

As it has been for most of the season, Brooke Walker (13) and Kerry Walmsley (10*) were left to rescue the innings, ensuring they batted out the allocated 40 overs.

Central were left to chase 108 for victory, and the right to play Canterbury in the State Shield Final on Friday. They started in a positive attitude as expected, with Jamie How (10) and Craig Spearman (10) getting their side off to a blazing start. However both fell to soft dismissals, and in stepped NZ’s hottest young batsman, Ross Taylor. He got off the mark with a straight six over the bowler, and it a signal for signs to come.

Taylor seemed to have all the luck in the world on his side, and dominating all the bowlers, and brought up his 50 with huge successive sixes off Auckland captain Brooke Walker. He was finally out for 56, an innings that signalled his enormous potential as one of the future stars of NZ Cricket.

CD started to stumble, even though the total needed was within sight, Englefield and Furlong departed in quick succession. However the level-headed Glen Sulzberger (12*) guided his team to the win.

Score Summary

Auckland 107 all out in 39.5 overs (T Canning 26, M Mason 2-14, L Hamilton 2-14)

Central Districts 108-7 in 20.1 overs (R Taylor 56, K Walmsley 3-40, A Adams 2-16)

Man of the Match - Ross Taylor

Result - Central Districts win by 3 wickets and go through to the State Final

Posted by Raymond