Canterbury looking to grind Auckland into the dirt

Canterbury has batted itself into a position of dominance at the completion of the first day's play at the Village Green, scoring 301 for the loss of only three wickets.

Centuries to captain Gary Stead (100) and Chris Harris (122 not out) have put Canterbury in a position that Stead hopes will see it bat only once in the match.

"That's always the plan whatever game we go into. But I think we'll be looking to post a big first innings total and then hopefully bat only the once. But it's going to be hard work out there. Auckland have toiled away all day and I don't think that wicket is going to change much," said Stead.

Opening the Canterbury innings and scoring a century Stead was in a good position to assess the pitch. He said it moved sideways off the seam early on and swung throughout most of the day. The good sole of grass on the pitch would hopefully result in swing for the bowlers throughout the entire match.

Auckland toiled away in the hot Canterbury sun largely without reward and a lack of success saw the fielders wilt late in the day. The Aces played without luck; two sharp chances went down in the gully and umpire Bowden's usual reticence in giving decisions may have cost Auckland on two further occasions.

Andre Adams was the pick of the Aces bowlers picking up the wickets of Doody and Englefield during a fiery spell in the first session. But Adams was perhaps the victim of a lack of variety in the Auckland attack which allowed Chris Harris to comfortably get his eye in, the result being a two over demolition of Adams late in the first session which cost the bowler 28 runs.

Auckland must be regretting the decision to leave a spinner out of its squad and it faces the prospect of another long day in the field tomorrow.

Stead said achieving a result on the batter friendly pitch would depend on Canterbury's ability to "grind Auckland into the dirt", by posting a big first innings score.

On a personal note Stead was happy to have scored his fifth first-class hundred but disappointed not to have gone on with the job. "It's great to get a hundred and I was conscious of trying to go on and score a big one. But it was my day today. I got one low on the bat and missed out but that's cricket."