Northern Districts scrape home by two wickets in a thriller

Right to the end, the only safe forecast to make about this game was its total unpredictability. Batting collapses and tail end recoveries continued to be the story until the winning run was hit by Northern Districts captain Robbie Hart to give his side a two wicket victory thirty-five minutes after lunch on this final day.

The post-lunch session began with ND needing just nineteen more with five wickets standing and Mark Bailey still there. Bailey was soon out, wafting at a short delivery from Drum to be caught behind for a 252 ball seventy-six. The crowd acclaimed what it thought certain to be a match-winning innings.

Brett Hood spent lunchtime on nought not out, on a pair. He attempted to hook a short ball from Drum. There seemed to be a loud noise as the ball passed the bat, which was well away from Hood's body. Even though the ball had clearly carried to the wicketkeeper, Umpire Frost consulted with his square leg colleague Tony Hills before giving a not out decision, to the obvious disgust of the bowler.

Drum channelled his frustration into the next ball, which Hood again attempted to hook. A top edge was well caught by McIntosh, running back from first slip to complete a pair for the unfortunate Northland skipper.

Simon Doull played one magnificent back foot cover drive before being bowled by Drum. This brought together Hart and Martin to collect the eleven runs still needed.

This morning's play had been tense throughout as ND took the slow road to success. Bailey's was the key innings. It contained little of his usual elegance, but great quantities of determination and coolness under pressure.

He was well supported by Bradburn. A turning point was the dropping of a straightforward chance given by Bradburn to King at second slip off the bowling of Drum.

The pitch continued to be regarded with suspicion by the batsmen, though it was never as bad as the low scores of the match suggest. To play on a surface that offers the challenges provided by this one is part of a batsman's education.

Graeme Aldridge will look back on this game with total satisfaction. He took nine wickets and registered career bests with bat and ball. With Yovich being consistently quick and Doull looking at something near top form ND have a formidable array of faster bowlers.

The return of Tuffey from South Africa and Styris from injury will create headaches of the best kind for the ND selectors.

Bruce Martin's batting at the end of both innings promises a future as an all-rounder.

If today were replayed tomorrow, Auckland would probably win. The rub of the green was certainly against the visitors. There were many positives for coach Tony Sail to take from the game, notably an impressive performance from Chris Drum to add to Richard Morgan's five first innings wickets.

Mark Haslam bowled with great control on his return to the first class game and was unlucky not to take more wickets.

These two teams were top of the pile last season and the indications from this match are that others will have to work hard to shift them in 2000/01.

The issue of umpire/player relations emerged from the match. The officials clearly felt pressurised by premature celebrations, making their feelings known to Robbie Hart after a short-leg catch had been turned down yesterday.

This is a general issue for cricket authorities to address. The two teams here were not out of the ordinary in their conduct or attitudes and would no doubt see it as part of the modern game, especially in a match as tense as this one.

Northern Districts and Auckland return to Westpac Trust Park for round one of the Shell Trophy tomorrow.