2nd Match: Central Districts v Canterbury at Nelson, 28 Dec 2002 CricInfo Live Report

2nd Match: Central Districts v Canterbury at Nelson, 28 Dec 2002
Lynn McConnell

Central Districts innings: 25 overs, End of innings,
Canterbury innings: 20 overs, End of match,

CD BOWL TIGHTLY TO KEEP CANTERBURY OUT
Central Districts made the most of their batting recovery to turn around and successfully put the pressure on Canterbury to take a 19-run win at Nelson's Trafalgar Park.

Possibly the most decisive blow in the innings was struck after the first drinks break when off spinner Campbell Furlong took the wicket of Canterbury captain Gary Stead to leave his side 56/5.

Stead looked to cut a ball close to him and couldn't cover the ball as it spun back and bowled him for 21 scored off 39 balls.

Cleighton Cornelius joined Fulton but after 11 balls in which he failed to score, Cornelius attempted a quick single with a shot to mid on but Jesse Ryder threw down the stumps and Cornelius was gone with Canterbury 58/6.

Having only two runs in the previous four overs, the pressure was on, but straight after the dismissal of Cornelius, 13 runs came from the remaining four balls of the over. Fulton hit a cut for four, then followed that with a square drive, also for four. Then he took a single which allowed Carl Anderson took a four from the fourth ball he faced.

The pair added 55 runs before Anderson attempted to cut a ball from Michael Mason which took a thick edge and flew to first slip for Craig Spearman to pull in a good catch to remove Anderson for 16 scored off 40 balls.

Mason ended his 10 overs with the outstanding figures of two for 14.

Fulton scored his maiden half century at this level in only his fourth game off 71 balls and it included five fours and a six.

With 10 overs left, the required run rate for Canterbury was up to 8.2. Fulton was on 52 not out and Stephen Cunis was unbeaten on three.

They fought back well and set up an exciting finish but when Fulton was dismissed in the 46th over caught by Hefford from Schwass' bowling for a fine 64 scored off 87 balls. It took two takes by Hefford before he secured the ball, but at 169/8 it was a road too far for the Canterbury lower order.

Stephen Cunis gave every effort and scored 33 off 31 balls but it was a desperation heave that proved his undoing to a ball from Schwass that was taken by Sandbrook at wide long on to leave Canterbury 176/9.

Ryan Burson threw the bat to try and keep Canterbury in the chase, but it was an impossible task and the game ended with Canterbury nine wickets down and 20 runs short of their target.

Schwass, bowling on his home pitch finished with three for 31 from his 10 overs while Campbell Furlong proved very economical in taking one for 20 from his 10 overs.

CD HAVE CANTERBURY ON THE RACK AT NELSON
Canterbury captain Gary Stead and his less experienced partner Peter Fulton faced a big restoration job to get back into their State Shield match with Central Districts in Nelson today.

Canterbury made a disastrous response to CD's 208/8. Paul Wiseman, being used in an opening role again this season lasted only two balls before he departed leg before wicket to Andrew Schwass in the first over of the innings. Canterbury had only one run on the board.

His fellow opener Michael Papps was at the crease for 21 balls before he edged Brent Hefford to Bevan Griggs to be out for 10 when Canterbury had scored 14.

Shanan Stewart got some momentum to the innings but off the last ball of the 11th over when the score was 33, he drove at a full-pitched ball outside off-stump but lifted it higher than he would have wanted and Schwass completed a nice catch at mid-off. He had scored 17 off 39 balls.

Chris Harris, who had been disappointing with his bowling, sending down six overs at a cost of 34 runs during the CD innings, came in to join his skipper but they added only three runs before Harris swung after a leg-side ball from Michael Mason and the ball flew straight to Griggs for the catch, Harris out for an eight-ball duck.

Mason, who was bowling his second spell, went through to take one for five from his first seven overs.

After 20 overs, Canterbury were 56 for four with Stead on 21 and Fulton on four.

Schwass had one for seven off three overs while Hefford, who had taken two wickets was more expensive with two for 32 off his five overs.

WICKET-KEEPERS LEAD CD RECOVERY IN NELSON
Central Districts' wicket-keepers Ian Sandbrook and Bevan Griggs combined to give their side a much more competitive total in their opening State Shield match, against Canterbury, in Nelson today.

After looking likely to make only around 160-180, the pair ensured that Canterbury would face a longer chase of 209 to win the game.

Central Districts (CD) chose to bat first after winning the toss and were in trouble when the pair came together at 85/5 in the 27th over.

But Griggs gained a degree of control in his 17th one-day match and achieved his first half-century in 56 balls while sharing a sixth wicket stand of 103 with Sandbrook.

Sandbrook, in his first appearance, for CD also achieved his maiden half century, scored off 98 balls, in what was a vital hand for his side.

Both batsmen were dismissed before the end of the innings, Griggs being first to go when playing back to Stephen Cunis and being trapped leg before wicket for 59 scored off 61 balls while nine balls later Sandbrook, having seen the 200 posted, was out when trying to loft a ball from Burson. He got too much underneath it and it was eventually taken by Cleighton Cornelius at long on. His innings of 57 lasted for 104 balls and may yet proved to have been a significant innings for his side.

CD went on to finish on 208/8 with Cunis having a fine hand with the ball to take three for 32 from his 10 overs. Burson also bowled well for Canterbury to take three for 34 from nine overs.

Earlier, Greg Loveridge was unable to provide Sandbrook with the assistance required and Carl Anderson had him out when he attempted to cut a fuller ball which took the underside of the bat and stuck in Papps' hands to dismiss Loveridge for three and leave CD reeling at 85/5. Earlier in the over, Loveridge had offered a caught and bowled chance which Anderson was unable to hold.

CUNIS AND BURSON MAKE EARLY INROADS FOR CANTERBURY
It was painstaking work for Central Districts after they batted first when winning the toss at Trafalgar Park against Canterbury in Nelson today.

Things couldn’t have started in worse fashion for CD when they lost their skipper Craig Spearman in the second over for one run. If there was one wicket Canterbury would have wanted more than any other it was surely Spearman's, a batsman capable of taking any attack apart.

After 25 overs, CD were 82/4 with Ian Sandbrook on 11 and Greg Loveridge still to score.

Stephen Cunis provided Canterbury with the breakthrough.

But further tragedy was ahead for CD when newcomer Jesse Ryder was out in the next over for five. On this occasion it was Chris Martin who did the damage, having the promising young player caught behind by wicket-keeper Michael Papps.

At nine for two wickets, it required some painstaking recovery work to be done and that was what Peter Ingram and Glen Sulzberger tried to achieve.

They worked their way patiently to 45 before Ingram, on 15 followed a good length ball from Ryan Burson and touched it to Papps who held the chance.

Another CD newcomer, Ian Sandbrook, joined Sulzberger and they got through to 78 before Sulzberger attempted a pull shot only to sky the ball in the direction of mid-wicket where Shanan Stewart took the catch while falling backwards.

Burson was the recipient again and by the 25-over mark, he had two wickets for 19 runs from seven overs.

Greg Loveridge then joined Sandbrook to try and continue the CD recovery.