Hira unbeaten 91 flattens Central Districts

An all-round showing from left-arm spinner and makeshift opener Ronnie Hira helped Canterbury canter to a win against Central Districts. Hira gave away just 20 runs and claimed a wicket to help restrict Central Districts to 136 for 4, before slamming a career-best 91 not out off 41 with six fours and seven sixes as Canterbury chased down the target with eight wickets and 51 balls to spare.

This innings continued a fine run with the bat at the top of the order for Hira, who had two 40+ scores and a fifty in six previous innings. He got good support from the other opener, Neil Broom, who hit 34 off just 14 balls with a four and four sixes.

For Central Districts, several batsmen got starts, but none could score at the pace required; top-scorer Will Young's 49 came off 39 balls.

A fifty from Daniel Flynn guided Northern Districts home against Auckland, in a chase of similar proportions to the Canterbury game. Northern Districts lost four wickets chasing 136, finishing the game with four balls to spare.

Auckland had chosen to bat, but could only manage 135 for 8 as none of their batsmen made it through the 30s despite making starts. Opener Luke Wright was the top-scorer, as well as the fastest striker among the top order, with 36 from 19 balls. For Northern Districts, Jono Boult was the destroyer-in-chief, picking up four wickets in his four overs of offspin while conceding just 23.

In reply, Flynn was given some support by Brad Wilson, the pair adding 58 in 7.4 overs before Wilson was stumped. Flynn added another half-century stand with No. 3 Tim Seifert, and that meant Northern Districts were well on course, despite Flynn being run out soon after completing his fifty.

Otago and Wellington were able to fit in a minute of silence to remember Phillip Hughes, but no play was possible in Dunedin, as a hail storm arrived over the ground. The teams shared points, getting two apiece.