Munro, de Grandhomme power big NZ A win

New Zealand A 424 for 7 (Munro 151, de Grandhomme 151) beat Northamptonshire 184 for 2 (Coetzer 60, Peters 54) by 70 runs by D/L method
Scorecard

Colin Munro and Colin de Grandhomme both struck rapid centuries to help New Zealand A sink Northamptonshire by 70 runs via the D/L method in a rain-affected clash at the County Ground.

New Zealand A, choosing to bat, got off to a rocky start and lost three wickets inside 10 overs. However, a handy 45 from the opener Anton Devcich took the visitors over the 100-run mark, and from there, Munro and de Grandhomme took center stage.

The pair added 199 in less than 20 overs as New Zealand crossed 300 in just over 41 overs. All Northamptonshire bowlers ended with expensive figures, but Gemaal Hussain came in for special treatment, leaking 101 from his 10 overs, including 18 off an over to Munro.

With boundaries regularly being hit, Munro was the first to three figures, reaching the landmark off 76 balls in the 34th over. He did not stop there though, and collected a further 18 runs off an over from Michael Leask. Munro eventually fell for 151, having blasted 15 fours and six sixes, but de Grandhomme carried on and reached his own century, from 66 balls, with a six off Saif Zaib.

More misery would await Northamptonshire as BJ Watling, coming in at No.7, smashed a 22-ball 44 to lift New Zealand A to 424 for 7. De Grandhomme was dismissed in the final over of the innings for an 81-ball 151, having hit 16 fours and eight sixes.

Northamptonshire began solidly, but couldn't quite get the required acceleration to chase down such a daunting total. The openers Stephen Peters and Kyle Coetzer both raised fifties in a 105-run stand, but Northamptonshire's task was made even harder by a rain delay which increased their asking rate.

The hosts were 184 for 2 when a second bout of rain forced a premature end to the game, with the hosts 70 runs short according to D/L.