Auckland win and Northern Districts celebrate

Auckland proved too strong for Canterbury and took out an 81-run win from their State Insurance Cup game at Hagley Oval today while in Hamilton, Northern Districts were celebrating their first win over a major association, Wellington.

Auckland, who batted first after winning the toss, were 47 without loss when Haidee Tiffen picked up three wickets to rock Auckland to 53/3.

Rebecca Rolls, who opened the innings, scored 33.

But a four-wicket 90-run partnership between skipper Kathryn Ramel and Helen Watson, both members of the CLEAR White Ferns, got Auckland back on track.

Rame scored 37 while Watson went on to get 58 with Clare Nicholson scoring 19 not out at the end.

Tiffen finished with 5-51 from her 10 overs.

Conditions were tough on bowlers with a strong north-westerly wind blowing and making control difficult.

Thirty-one wides were bowled by Canterbury's bowlers.

Canterbury, again relied on Tiffen who top scored with 38 while Fiona Fraser continued to impress with 19 not out. Natalie Scripps with 4-40 from her 10 overs was the most successful of Auckland's bowlers while Clare Nicholson took 2-30 from her 10.

England opener Charlotte Edwards came to light for Northern Districts (ND) in a rain-affected match at WestpacTrust Park.

Wellington batted first in a rain-reduced innings of 46 overs and scored 164/9 with Maia Lewis top scoring with 44. Jennifer Paterson scored 33 while Kim Hill took 3-21 for Northern Districts.

ND lost an over due to slow over rate and was left with 45 overs to head off Wellington's total. After 10 overs it was 26/1. Then when rain interrupted the innings, the ND batsmen had to score 153 to win, a target it achieved for the loss of four wickets.

Edwards, who was dropped from England's team near the end of its disappointing run in the CricInfo Women's World Cup, scored 63. She put in 88 for the third wicket with Janice Fraser who scored 45.

Frances King took 2-48 for Wellington.