Auckland fall short in artificial chase

Flummoxed as much by the eccentricities of the Duckworth-Lewis system as they were by the dazzling Central Districts fielding, Auckland might have felt hard done by as they lost the State Shield one-day match by 19 runs at Eden Park Outer Oval today.

In their shortened innings between 6 and 8pm Auckland needed to score 180 from 30 overs to win. Faced by accurate Central Districts bowling, brilliant and flawless catching and some canny captaincy from Glen Sulzberger Auckland started strong, went soft in the middle and over the last few overs their defeat at 160 for eight wickets, became inevitable.

The madly artificial chase after runs and wickets (watched by a hardy few surviving spectators) came about when heavy rain stopped play soon after 2pm after Auckland had inserted Central Districts, and the visitors had reached 195 for five wickets from 45 overs.

Much of the field was saturated, puddles formed, but the ground staff kept beavering away and by about 4pm it became obvious that some play would be possible.

This was later translated by the British boffins' calculations into a winning target for Auckland of 180 runs in just over two hours.

Thus Auckland were asked to scored six runs an over, in contrast to the 4.3 runs an over rate reached by Central Districts. This did not seem to represent an equal proposition. Nor did the situation that Central Districts could spread their field wide after nine overs, whereas Central Districts had had the use of the full 15 overs when they batted.

This became a key element in the Auckland run chase which started with a rattle of boundaries by Matt Horne (five fours and three sixes), but which lost its momentum in mid-innings as Horne lost his zip, and Sulzberger was able to post five men on the boundary.

Auckland did not help their own cause by erratic batting tactics in the chase for victory. Llorne Howell, the powerful batsman who started the Auckland innings with Horne might have been forgiven for playing the secondary role while Horne was in such dazzling form.

But the end result for Howell was three singles from 13 balls, and Horne could probably have used stronger support than that. It was pertinent, though, that Howell was caught the first time he tried to hit a boundary. He caught a good length ball from Michael Mason plumb in the meat of his bat as he swung it backward of square.

Away out on the boundary line Andrew Schwass ran 20 metres like a hare, then lunged out and plucked in the catch with his right hand.

The whole Central Districts team raced 50 or 60 metres to congratulate Schwass on the superb catch - and in the process all the Central fielders became inspired with the same deathless wish that not even the hardest Auckland hits would get past if the dashing, diving Central men could stop them.

So Auckland, slowish after Horne left and without real momentum until Aaron Barnes scored the last half of his 54 at a fast clip, were pinned down by super-keen and accurate fielding.

Sulzberger put further clamps on the Auckland batsmen with his canny mixture of speed or spin, dropping Campbell Furlong or himself into the bowling mix and not giving the Auckland batsman the consistent extra speed offered by Schwass, Mason and Lance Hamilton and Brent Hefford.

Tama Canning did offer some power of stroke toward the end, but this was another case of indifferent planning. Barnes has been suffering from a sore back, ans looked stiff and staid at the start. One of his early lieutenants, Kyle Mills, has a side strain and was obviously not in the big-hitting mood.

Canning was, and he should have been promoted to No 3 or 4 at a time when Horne might have appreciated someone else playing the power shots.

Early in the day Central Districts had caused to thank Richard King, Bevan Griggs and Sulzberger for the fact that CD even managed a reasonable score.

After being sent in to bat Central Districts lost wickets at 6, 32 and 36, before King (55) and Griggs (43) put on 83 for the fourth wicket, and later Sulzberger (44 not out) led his side to the useful total of 195 for five.

Central Districts may have reached 220 or a few more, plainly within Auckland's reach with 50 overs and an easy-paced pitch. But the rain, and then the curious contrivances of the Duckworth-Lewis system opened the way for a Central Districts win - and they grabbed it brilliantly.

Auckland now languish on the bottom of the points table, and Central have moved from sixth to fifth (though equal on points with Otago) - giving them a long-shot chance of defending the title they won last summer.