Fleming and apprentice Woodcock give Wellington a chance

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, batting with the obvious discomfort of an injured hip and assisted by a runner, carried Wellington within sight of an outright win over Northern Districts by the end of the second day of their State Championship match at the Basin Reserve today.

Fleming was severely restricted in his movement and still in some pain after being hit on the tip of hip bone by his young international team-mate Ian Butler near the end of the game's first day.

On a few occasions and out of habit, Fleming stumbled forward as if to complete a run and it was then the extent of his injury and the measure of his discomfort was most obvious. He was reduced at times to a shambling walk and when he turned or lunged precipitately, he often gritted his teeth in pain.

But Fleming said after the match that he felt well and that his injury was not of major significance, that he had undergone a variety of treatments including acupuncture and that he expected the knock to be of no major inconvenience to him in the coming Test series against England.

Fleming said he felt in good batting touch in spite of his injury and his performance today, in a match in which most batsman have struggled on a seaming pitch, supported that view. While his movements were limited he batted with considerable freedom and his unbeaten 40, made in 88 minutes, included 34 runs from boundaries - seven fours and one six.

With Fleming when stumps were drawn last night was young left-hander Luke Woodcock, playing his third first-class match, who had been at the crease 137 minutes when stumps were drawn and was camped on his highest first-class score, 30 not out. Woodcock also made 30 in his first first-class innings against Otago two matches ago.

Fleming and Woodcock had added 70 in 88 minutes for Wellington's third wicket and Wellington was 123/2 at stumps, needing 87 more runs tomorrow to post their fifth outright win in consecutive games, their third in successive matches at the Basin Reserve.

Wellington began their second innings needing 210 to win after Northern had failed to fully capitalise on a 69-run first innings lead. Northern was out for only 140 in their second innings, leaving the gate open for Wellington to win this match and to retain its place at the top of the State Championship table.

If Wellington completes its win tomorrow, and the odds are now heavily in its favour, it will have achieved all of its outrights this season after trailing on the first innings.

Northern could have played Wellington out of the match today. Wellington resumed its first innings this morning at 81/6, replying to Northern's 185.

Northern took only 13 overs and some 65 minutes to wrap up Wellington's innings for 116 - achieving a 69-run lead which is commanding in the context of recent low-scoring matches on this ground. The victory target Wellington is now chasing - 210 - will still be the highest score any team has achieved at the Basin Reserve in the last three games.

Northern should then have batted Wellington out of the match but an early onslaught from Wellington left-armer James Franklin, which cost them their first four wickets for 15 runs, immediately weakened their control on the game.

Franklin claimed the wicket of James Marshall for one in his second over then shook Northern when he claimed the wickets of Matthew Hart, Joseph Yovich and Hamish Marshall within a single over - his fourth, the eighth of the innings.

Hart was lbw for five, matching his first innings score, Yovich caught at first slip by Matthew Walker for five, improving by one on his first innings, and Hamish Marshall was lbw for 0. Two balls separated Hart and Yovich's dismissals and a further three accounted for Marshall.

Michael Parlane and first innings hero Scott Styris then revived the innings and the balance of the match tipped again in Northern's favour. The pair put on 61 in 85 minutes for Northern's fifth wicket and Northern was briefly 76/4, 145 ahead with six wickets standing.

But in a manner sadly typical of this match Parlane and Styris then threw away their wickets recklessly within eight runs of each other. Parlane was out lbw for 41 to Walker, then Styris - who had batted superbly in the first innings for 87 - contrived to pull a short delivery from Mark Gillespie through 180 degress and onto his own stumps. He was out for 27 and Northern was 84/6.

The only light in the remainder of the innings was a quick 29 from Daryl Tuffey - taken from 28 balls - which lifted him near the end.

Wellington could still have lost. A total of 210 would seem imposing in the light of recent matches and persistent batting failures by both Wellington and their opponents.

There were qualms when Richard Jones was out for 15, bowled for the second time in the match for Butler who had beaten him repeatedly before his dismissal.

Wellington then lost their captain Matthew Bell for 28 and were 53/2 but there were few alarms after Fleming came to the crease to join Woodcock, who had dug in impressively.

The performance of the youngster and his experienced partner pointed an accusing finger at many of the other batsmen who have been cheaply dismissed over the past two days. When Woodcock made his mind to stay he did so with relative ease, as long as his concentration and technique were sound. And when Fleming made up his mind to play shots he also did so without difficulty.

The ball has seamed throughout the match but any first-class batsman should be able to cope, technically, with a seaming ball. That so many have struggled to do so is an indictment on their technique and attitude.