Horne innings sets up Auckland for final at home

Auckland's Matt Horne gave the national selectors a healthy nudge to remind them that he wasn't prepared to be discounted as an opener's alternative for international cricket when guiding Auckland into the State Shield final today.

Auckland will have the chance to win the domestic one-day competition for the first time since 1989/90.

Horne batted superbly to score 96 as Canterbury were beaten by six wickets at Jade Stadium.

It was cruel misfortune that he missed out on what would have been a deserved century as he wasn't able to get a gift ball from Craig McMillan far enough behind deep backward point for the boundary that would have brought the reward. Instead Chris Harris took the catch.

McMillan was the beneficiary when two sucker balls he bowled in the over dramatically improved his return for the day. He also had Lou Vincent when he hit a soft caught and bowled chance back to McMillan who had gone into the over with none for 35 off four overs but who ended with two for 39 off five.

The comparisons between the batting of the two sides could not have been further apart.

Auckland achieved the basic requirement of building partnerships as seen from the 70 for the first wicket between Horne and Llorne Howell, 70 for the second wicket between Horne and Tim McIntosh and 55 between Horne and Vincent.

Canterbury paid the price for a diffident display of batting which seemed to read more terrors into the slow pitch than was warranted. They also had to admit to superior catching by the Aucklanders who managed some outstanding takes to further penalise the home side.

Craig Pryor completed a fine catch running back with the ball dropping away from him to dismiss Shanan Stewart while McMillan fell to a fine reflex catch by Aaron Barnes at short mid-wicket.

Only another innings of consequence from Harris, his second in three innings, got Canterbury as high as they did with their 199 for nine wickets. He was out in the 49th over when bowled by Andre Adams for 58, scored off 84 balls. He and Peter Fulton had added 72 runs for the sixth wicket when Fulton was run out, albeit by the third umpire's decision, when attempting a second run off a no-ball.

Had Fulton managed to slide his bat in a straight line, he would still have been in but the movement as his bat ended up at about 30 degrees to the crease meant he was just short of his ground.

Shane Bond was used as a pinch-hitter but didn't succeed and it was left to Gareth Hopkins to strike some lusty blows as 25 runs were added to add some lustre to Canterbury's innings.

Earlier, Nathan Astle had been strangely subdued as he was forced to change the nature of his innings after losing Stewart and McMillan in reasonable proximity. Then when Gary Stead and Chris Cairns were both out cheaply to leave Canterbury 65 for four wickets after 20 overs.

Frustration finally appeared to get the better of Astle in the 27th over, Astle was well caught by Rob Nicol at backward square leg on the boundary for 32 scored off 68 balls.

Another fine catch was made by Adams to make the last dismissal off the last ball of the innings running around the boundary and diving to dismiss Hopkins from Pryor's bowling.

Auckland's bowlers generally used the conditions better with Kyle Mills taking two for 36 runs from his 10 overs, Barnes one for 26 off 10 and most impressively of all, Tama Canning one for 23 off 10.

Canterbury captain Stead said his side lost too many wickets in the first 20 overs.

"Auckland outplayed us in all facets of the game," he said.

Adams would have to be concerned that his 10 overs cost 50, although he did pick up two wickets.

Horne said the key to Auckland had been getting off to a good start.

"We were able to get partnerships going, some of the wickets have been quite tough but our boys bowled sensationally today," he said.

Canterbury's bowling lacked penetration. Bond did get through 10 overs to take one for 41 while Stephen Cunis with none for 25, Astle one for 28 off six and Harris none for 27 off his six were the pick of the rest.

It was a disappointing end for the Cantabrians, but the Aucklanders came up with the goods at the right time and deserved their final success.