Astle gives himself a confidence boost before heading to Australia

Nathan Astle's blazing innings dominated Canterbury's eight-wicket humiliation of Central Districts in their State Shield match at Jade Stadium today.

Canterbury were replying to CD's disappointing 147 and any thought that there must have been something wrong, with a pitch that admittedly was being used for the third time, were allayed with the attacking approach employed by Astle and his partner in arms, Shanan Stewart.

It is a long way from the bowling standards of the State Shield to that to be experienced against Australia and South Africa, but for the sheer manner in which he was hitting the ball there had to be great encouragement for the form that he will take to Adelaide at the weekend.

Put baldly his statistics were: 50 off 55 balls (five fours and three sixes), 100 off 78 balls (15 fours and four sixes). An opening stand of 130 with Stewart off 135 balls.

Stewart was out for 45 in the penultimate over of the innings.

With his century, Astle became the scorer of most centuries in domestic one-day cricket. It was his seventh century and took him past Roger Twose on the all-time list.

It was the fourth fastest domestic one-day century in New Zealand. Aravinda de Silva hit one off 65 balls for Auckland while others were Llorne Howell (72 balls), Craig McMillan (77) and Astle (78).

Astle said the innings was good for his confidence.

"The selectors have been consistent in their policy about proving fitness after some problems in the past and that is fair enough.

"I haven't picked up a bat since I broke my hand, apart from 30-40 minutes on a bowling machine at Lincoln on Friday," he said after his innings today.

He scored 35 off 34 balls against Auckland on Sunday.

Astle said he had been mainly running and doing gym work to keep fit while recovering from his injury and had not even been able to play golf.

"I really tried to watch the ball today and my hand felt fine.

"Central Districts were a good test for me, especially [Michael] Mason and [Brent] Hefford, as they do try to bounce the ball. It was a shame that the pitch was not a little quicker before going to Australia.

"I'm looking forward to getting over there. The guys are playing outstandingly but there are four tough games to go and we have still got a little work to do," he said.

Astle leaves for Adelaide on Thursday morning.

He gave all of the bowlers the sword with trademark cut shots, lofted off drives and one superb six over the midwicket boundary for a six to the longest boundary on the ground.

He did give a life at 58 but Mason on the deep square leg boundary made a hash of it, a factor made worse when the ball trickled over the boundary to take Astle to 62.

Earlier, the CD innings was a continuation of the batting woes that have afflicted the side this summer, and the only merit in it all was the 71 not out scored by Mathew Sinclair.

He started his innings slowly, but coming in at No 5 with the score 17/3, he knew he had plenty of time to build a big innings. Unfortunately, the opportunity to blaze through the last couple of overs to lift his score even higher was denied him when the support ran out during the 48th over.

Sinclair's 50 took 89 balls and included only one four and one six, a measure of the care he took.

The top order proved especially susceptible to the bowling of Chris Martin. The Canterbury international had been hammered by the Auckland attack on Sunday, but he came back today and had three wickets all caught in the slips for for 19 runs.

Astle set up a good day by taking three wickets for 28 runs off nine overs.