Report

Worker anchors Northern Districts' win

Northern Districts held their nerve to clinch a thrilling one-wicket win over Central Districts at Fitzherbert Park to move to the top of the points table after the second round of the New Zealand Cricket one-day competition

ESPNcricinfo staff
12-Jan-2011
Northern Districts held their nerve to clinch a thrilling one-wicket win over Central Districts at Fitzherbert Park to move to the top of the points table after the second round of the New Zealand Cricket one-day competition.
Opener George Worker's century anchored CD's total of 280 after they were sent in to bat. CD lost Peter Ingram and Jamie How early, but Worker added 149 with Mathew Sinclair for the third wicket to set the base for a competitive total. Sinclair, who made 66, was dismissed in the 41st over with CD's score on 206, and Worker followed in the next over. Kieran Noema-Barnett and Tim Weston blasted 64 off just 38 balls to provide the CD innings with a closing flourish. ND's chase of 281 got off solidly with the openers BJ Watling and Daniel Flynn adding 88 within the first 18 overs. ND lost three quick wickets but Flynn's 60-run fourth-wicket partnership with Brad Wilson, got the ND chase back on track. ND lost Flynn in the 43rd over but some big hitting from James Marshall and Bradley Scott, who was unbeaten on 25 off just 10 balls, carried them home, with just one ball to spare.
Canterbury posted a comfortable 99-run win over Otago at the Queenstown Events Centre. Canterbury batsmen Rob Nicol, Michael Papps and Peter Fulton all posted solid half-centuries. Shannan Stewart and Andrew Ellis made unbeaten quickfire twenties as Canterbury reached 296 for 4 in their 50 overs. Otago started disastrously losing Aaron Redmond and Neil Broom with just 15 runs on the board. Michael Bracewell (68) and Craig Cumming (46) tried to salvage the innings with a 110-run third wicket partnership. However, once they were dismissed, the Otago innings lost momentum. The Canterbury bowlers never allowed the remaining Otago batsmen to get away as they were bowled out for 197 in the 47th over.
Auckland beat Wellington by eight runs in a close game at Colin Maiden Park. The Auckland innings was anchored by captain Gareth Hopkins' 96-ball 120. He shared crucial partnerships with Anaru Kitchen and Kyle Mills to power Auckland to a formidable 308. Wellington got off to a shaky start losing openers Josh Brodie and Stewart Rhodes within the first four overs with just five runs on the board. Grant Elliott and James Franklin put on 112 runs as the Wellington innings gained momentum. Harry Boam hit eight boundaries in his 36-ball 59 before he was dismissed. Wellington needed 45 runs off 24 balls at the stage and though Dewayne Bowden (23) got them close with some big shots, they failed to get across the line, falling short by eight runs.