18th Match: Northern Districts v Central Districts at Hamilton, 17 Jan 2003 CricInfo Live Report

18th Match: Northern Districts v Central Districts at Hamilton, 17 Jan 2003
Peter Hoare

Central Districts innings: 1st drinks, 2nd drinks, End of innings,
Pre-game: Toss,
Northern Districts innings: 1st drinks, End of match,

CD WIN BY 100 RUNS
An abject collapse by Northern Districts handed victory to Central Districts by 100 runs. ND were dismissed for 130 from 31 overs, giving CD a bonus point that puts them second in the table.

Matthew Hart (14) was caught by Sinclair at cover, driving loosely at Furlong, who had come back strongly after a poor first over. Both he and fellow off spinner Sulzberger were using the favourable conditions well.

The pitch could not be blamed for the run out that accounted for Yovich. Hamish Marshall called for a single, but sent his partner back when Spearman made a smart stop at mid-on. Sulzberger collected the return to beat Yovich's desperate dive. He scored seven.

Robbie Hart fell leg before for one to give Sulzberger a well-deserved wicket. His second soon followed, as Mark Orchard got a thin edge to be caught behind for a duck.

ND were 113 for eight, having lost four wickets for 11 runs.

Graeme Aldridge struck a few crisp blows before falling leg before to Schwass for ten.

Ian Butler's was the last wicket to fall, caught at cover by Furlong off Sulzberger. Hamish Marshall was stranded on ten not out, which at least gives him a season's average in double figures.

The CD spinners had even more of an impact on the game than ND's. Furlong finished with three for 24 from seven overs, Sulzberger with two for 27 from eight. The ND batsmen had to answer to their control and turn and made little attempt to take the game to them.

Lance Hamilton bowled six overs for 12 runs. Though wicketless, he did much to choke ND's early momentum.

ND are fourth in the table, though only five points behind leaders Wellington. However, their batting needs urgent improvement if they are to progress into the final stages of the State Shield.

With three of the remaining four rounds to be played at home, CD will aim for first place and a passage into the final.

ND LOSE EARLY WICKETS
Another half century from Daniel Vettori has dominated the Northern Districts innings, but with the home side at 91 for four from 18 overs Central Districts have their noses in front. ND need 140 from 32 overs.

Daniel Vettori dominated the early overs. He hit five fours to various corners in the first four overs. The third of these came via the inside edge and the stumps as he was bowled by a Schwass no-ball, to the bowler's despair.

The first and third balls of the innings were also no-balls, but Schwass punctuated these lapses by trapping James Marshall lbw for a duck from the second.

Schwass was also responsible for the second wicket to fall when he threw down the stumps from mid-on to run out Michael Parlane for an 11-ball six. Parlane was well short having responded late to a call from Vettori.

Scott Styris was beaten a couple of times before getting off the mark with a sweetly timed push past mid-on, the shot of a man in prime form.

Vettori continued to throw the bat at anything slightly wide, but with decreasing success. Variable bounce, particularly from the City End, was becoming more evident.

Hamilton replaced Schwass at the Members' End and immediately settled on a nagging length and line, sloping the ball away from right-hander Styris. With Mason his usual testing self, CD were taking control.

It was Mason who took the third wicket, Styris lbw for nine, from 22 balls with three fours. At 49 for three thoughts of a bonus point for restricting ND to 184 or less were creeping into CD's thoughts.

Vettori struck back in Mason's sixth over with two fours and a six, driven over extra cover.

Campbell Furlong replaced Mason, but 11 came from his first over. Vettori reached his fifty from 37 balls with a pull for four. An astonishing 46 of the runs came from boundaries.

Furlong had his revenge in his second over when he bowled Vettori for 57 as he tried to push off the back foot. ND were 83 for 4.

For ND much depends on Matthew Hart (five not out) and Joseph Yovich (five not out) establishing a solid partnership for the fifth wicket.

SULZBERGER GUIDES CD TO 230
Central Districts reached 230 for eight from 50 overs, a respectable score, but one that did not take advantage of a very good start. It is attainable for Northern Districts, though the pitch is somewhat two-paced, with the odd ball keeping low.

A half-century by Glen Sulzberger held the second half of the innings together.

The left-arm spin combination of Daniel Vettori and Matthew Hart continued to throttle CD after the second drinks break.

A frustrated Ian Sandbrook was beaten in the flight by Hart to offer a tame caught-and-bowled. He scored nine from 41 balls, with a solitary boundary.

Vettori finished with one for 23 from ten overs, again showing that inactivity at international level has not affected his form.

Matthew Hart was not outshone by his illustrious partner. He took one for 26 from eight overs. He supplemented accuracy with intelligent variations in flight.

Sulzberger tried to increase the tempo when Aldridge replaced Vettori, but the edge was as profitable as the middle of the bat at first. Bevan Griggs was successful in introducing some bustle to the batting, but boundaries remained elusive.

Griggs (17) was unlucky to be run out when a straight drive from Sulzberger was deflected onto the stumps at the bowler's end by Styris. Once a rarity, this form of dismissal has become an established part of the game, especially in one-day cricket.

Sulzberger and Griggs put on 41 for the sixth wicket.

CD passed 200 in the forty-seventh over, with Sulzberger's 50 (his eighth in domestic one-day cricket) following two balls later. It came from 84 deliveries. He was out for 51 in the next over. Butler removed the middle stump as Sulzberger wandered across to the off side in the hope of lifting one to the leg side boundary.

Andrew Schwass (three) also lost a stump - the off - to as he attempted an ugly smear off Yovich.

Campbell Furlong was more effective in putting bat to ball with a hoist onto the embankment at long on off Butler.

Styris finished with one for 26 from ten overs. He bowled smartly and meanly from first ball to last.

With a good finish in prospect under Westpac Park's excellent lights, the crowd is expected to build during the interval.

VETTORI, STYRIS TURN THE SCREW
The international bowling combination of Daniel Vettori and Scott Styris has turned the game in favour of Northern Districts. Central Districts added only 39 runs in the 18 overs between the drinks breaks. They are 146 for 4 with 16 overs remaining. Glen Sulzberger is 21, Ian Sandbrook eight.

CD lost the crucial wicket of Spearman in the second over after the first drinks interval, the first of Scott Styris' spell. The batsman was duped by a slower ball and lamely knocked an easy catch to Matthew Hart at short mid-wicket.

Spearman made 52 from 51 balls, with seven fours and a six.

Vettori came on at the Members' End, finding accuracy and turn from the start. Only seven runs came from his first four overs.

He took his first wicket in his fifth over when Jamie How edged a turning delivery to be caught behind for 16 by Robbie Hart.

Styris continued to nag away from the City End, clever change of pace creating large amounts of doubt in the minds of the batsmen. His first five overs went for only six runs and he finished his spell with figures of 8-3-15-1. There is not a more effective or consistent all-rounder in New Zealand cricket.

At 123 for four at the halfway stage, CD were becalmed and on the brink of another collapse.

Two on-driven boundaries - by Sandbrook off Vettori and Sulzberger off Styris - eased the pressure. Vettori (6-0-14-1) was replaced by fellow slow left-armer Matthew Hart at the Members' End.

The batsmen found it marginally easier to work the ball around for singles off Hart, but still the overall scoring rate declined.

With wickets in hand, a score well in excess of 200 is still possible for CD, as long as wickets are preserved for the final overs.

A small crowd is enjoying the Hamilton sun.

ANOTHER FIFTY FOR SPEARMAN
Aggressive batting from the opening pair of Craig Spearman and Jesse Ryder has got Central Districts off to a good start after being put in by Northern Districts. After 16 overs CD are 107 for two. Spearman is 51, Jamie How eight.

The game is being played on the same pitch on which runs were so hard to come by in the ODI here three days ago. Scoring has been easier today, though there is some movement for the seamers. An above-average quota of lbw appeals and edges have kept both umpires and fielders alert.

Erratic bowling from the ND opening attack of Joseph Yovich and Ian Butler allowed CD to get off to a flyer. Ryder hit two fours and a six in Butler's first over, all on the leg side.

Graeme Aldridge was brought on at the Members' End for the seventh over, with immediate success. Ryder was out leg before wicket for 26, playing across the line. He faced 17 balls, with four fours and a six.

Mathew Sinclair's search for form before the World Cup was unsuccessful. He hit two fours in Aldridge's second over before losing his off stump playing round a full-length delivery. He scored eight. CD were 64 for two at his dismissal.

Unusually, Spearman had played only a supporting role in the opening partnership and continued to struggle for timing. He found Butler particularly difficult to get away as the young pace bowler rediscovered his rhythm and pace.

When Yovich replaced Butler (6-1-36-0) Spearman let loose, with a four and a six in the first over of the spell. Another six, high over long on off Aldridge, gave Spearman his fifty in the next over.

CD must avoid the sort of middle-order collapse that has been their weakness this season. As ever, the performance of Spearman is the key factor.

BATSMEN SEARCH FOR FORM AT HAMILTON
Batting as collapsable as a deckchair has bedevilled the State Shied campaigns of both Northern Districts and Central Districts, who meet in a round six day/nighter at Westpac Park, Hamilton today.

Returning TelstraClear Black Caps Scott Styris takes his place in an ND top six in which Hamish Marshall and Michael Parlane have single-figure batting averages. Daniel Vettori opens again after his match-winning 89 against Wellington last week.

Quick bowler Ian Butler makes a welcome return from injury, replacing left-arm seamer Gareth West. David Kelly also drops out of the ND line-up.

For CD Mathew Sinclair is back from international duty to make his first State Shield appearance of the season. This should take the pressure off skipper Craig Spearman, the only batsman to show any sort of consistency in the first half of the round robin.

Sinclair, Andrew Schwass and Jesse Ryder replace Ross Taylor, Brent Hefford and Greg Loveridge for the visitors.

Daryl Tuffey will rests today, but will return for ND against Otago next week. CD would dearly like to use the services of Jacob Oram, but the all-rounder is still sidelined by injury.

ND have won the toss and will bowl first. It is hoped that the pitch will be more to the batsman's liking than that for the ODI here last Tuesday and that there will be enough runs to provide a contest under the lights this evening.

With only three points separating the top five teams in the State Shield table, the winners of this contest will be well-placed as the competition approaches its final stages. ND start the game on 13 points, while CD have 11, three behind leaders Otago and Wellington.

It is bright and sunny in Hamilton, with only a slim chance of a shower later.

Northern Districts

James Marshall, Daniel Vettori, Michael Parlane, Scott Styris, Matthew Hart, Hamish Marshall, Joseph Yovich, Robbie Hart (captain/wicket-keeper), Mark Orchard, Ian Butler, Graeme Aldridge. Twelfth man is Gareth West.

Central Districts

Craig Spearman (captain), Jesse Ryder, Mathew Sinclair, Jamie How, Glen Sulzberger, Ian Sandbrook, Bevan Griggs, Craig Furlong, Andrew Schwass, Michael Mason, Lance Hamilton. Twelfth man is Brent Hefford.

Umpires: Brent Bowden and Barry Frost