Cachopa resistance leads Auckland to draw

Brad Cachopa led Auckland to a draw against Northern Districts after batting out the final innings with an unbeaten 89.

Auckland lost six wickets for 65 runs in their fourth innings chase of 376 after which Cachopa combined with Donovan Grobbelaar to post a 66-run partnership to avoid defeat for his side. Auckland were given a blazing start by opener Michael Guptill-Bunce, who smashed an 80-ball 92 that included 17 fours and one six. Ish Sodhi was the pick of Northern Districts' bowlers with returns of 4 for 96.

Auckland fell short of Northern Districts' first-innings total by one run after they were powered to 380 by Jeet Raval , Colin Munro and Robert O'Donnell. Raval and O'Donnell added 160 runs for the second wicket after the opener Michael Guptill-Bunce was dismissed early. Scott Kuggeleijn was Northern Districts' most penetrative bowler, taking 4 for 108.

Kuggeleijn then starred with the bat in Northern Districts' second innings, scoring an unbeaten 104 at No. 8 to lift his side's total to 374 for 7 after which they declared. Kuggeleijn added an unbeaten 113-run stand with Brett Hampton and also shared a 78-run partnership with Tim Seifert who managed 51. Kuggeleijn built on a 125-run partnership put up by Corey Anderson (83) and Bharat Popli (68) to help his side set Auckland a target of 376.

Northern Districts were lifted to 381 in their first innings by Bharat Popli's 116 and Hampton's 51. Hampton and Popli added 80 for the eight wicket at brisk pace to take Northern Districts closer to 350 from 262 for 7. Lachie Ferguson was Auckland's best bowler in the first innings, picking up 5 for 61.