Ryder assault razes Canterbury

Jesse Ryder smashed an unbeaten 57-ball 90 to help Wellington overhaul Canterbury's total with six wickets in hand in their opening match of the HRV Cup in Wellington. Ryder continued his golden run on his return to cricket with another match-winning hand after his twin centuries in a Plunket Shield match last month. Ryder has now scored 381 runs in three innings and has been out only once this season.

Opening the batting in the Twenty20 format, Ryder launched into attack and was the dominant partner in the first-wicket stand worth 48. Canterbury pacer Ben Laughlin removed Michael Pollard, who had only scored 10 off 14 balls in the opening partnership, and had Michael Papps off the next ball to revive Canterbury briefly. But Ryder continued the onslaught, hitting five sixes and six boundaries, to canter to the target in 17 overs.

Canterbury, who had chosen to bat, had raced past 100 with only one wicket down and were set for a strong total even when they lost their captain Peter Fulton in the 15th over - the second wicket to fall with the score on 113. But only 34 runs came off the last 34 balls as Shaun Tait and Grant Elliot ripped through the middle order with two wickets each and limit Canterbury to 147. Opening batsman Bradley Cachopa stayed unbeaten on 67.