New Zealand Domestic: season 2012-13

First topic message reminder :

The 1st class season in NZ has gotten underway with Canterbury hosting Otago in Rangiora and Central Districts hosting Wellington in Napier

Otago are on top after 2 days, on day 1 a solid 95 from new NZ selection Todd Astle at #8 lifted Canterbury to 297. A good effort from Astle who has re-invented himself as a leg spinning all-rounder in the past 2 seasons after failing as an opener. In response Otago openers Aaron (son of Rodney**) Redmond and Hamish (son of Ken) Rutherford shared a 186 run opening stand, however the middle order failed to capitalise on the start and they were all out for 383. Neil Wagner's 2 wickets at the end of the day leave to Canterbury at 2/2 with a fair amount of work to do.

Veteran Mathew "Skippy" Sinclair and Carl Cachopa scored centuries on the opening day in Napier, Sinclair will resume on 135 with Central looking to build on their 301/3.



* Rodney Redmond played 1 test vs Pakistan in 1973, scoring 107 and 56. However on the tour of England later that year his failure to adapt to new contact lenses cost him his test place meaning he retired with an impressive test average of 81.5!
** Ken Rutherford captained NZ in the early 1990s.

Nice wee interview with Crhis Harris here too http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8016838/No-declaration-in-sight-for-Chris-Harris

He's back from Zimbabwe and playing/coaching in Auckland club crickter

And an interesting opinion piece from Iain O'Brien http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/594530.html

Franklin hasn't been very consistent with the bat, but he has stuck around at times in India and even in Lanka. His bowling is nowhere the class that it was in some years ago, but he could be counted on to deliver a few quite ones from time to time. So unless a strong replacement would come up, I think he should be given a few more chances. Van Wic has been doing not bad a job so far, and Watling doesn't keep in ODIs. Certainly Watling looks a greately improved ODI batsman, and I would like him to be given a chanceIf Ryder is back then he could take up most of Franklin's bowling responsibilities and there will be support from Williamson, so perhaps Watling, if his keeping isn't up to standards, could come in as a batsman at 6?

Franklin is no longer international standard IMO..

he has never really been test class, maybe do a small job in odi's but NZ need to move on from him.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:And an interesting opinion piece from Iain O'Brien http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/594530.html

Pete - thanks - v interesting indeed. Do you agree with the main point being made?

Corporalhumblebucket wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:And an interesting opinion piece from Iain O'Brien http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/594530.html

Pete - thanks - v interesting indeed. Do you agree with the main point being made?

Sorry Corporal, didn't see your reply last week. I think he may well have a point - a lot of work went into modifying Shane Bond's action in an ultimately futile effort to keep him on the pitch.


Jessie Ryder scored a superb 167 at nearly a run a ball in the 1st innings for Wellington on Monday. Ex-international (and my ex-clubmate) Michael Papps also notched a ton, but 40s from Chris Woakes and Jeetan Patel were the only other real contributions to their 403. Going into the final day Wellington are 53/3 chasing 247 to win over frontrunners Central Districts (260 & 389).

Wellington knocked off the runs without further loss overnight, Michael Papps rounding off a good match with 77no and Scott (son of Chris) Kuggeleijn posting 142 not out, not bad for a guy without a half century in 10 previous 1st class matches.

Unfortunately Mark Gillespie strained an abdomenal muscle on day 3 and has been ruled out of NZ's tour of South Africa

Jesse has been pretty good this season, Hopes his issues are all sorted and he'll be available to play against England. With him and Taylor back, that lineup would look a lot better.

Northern Districts benefitted from Tim Southee's impending fatherhood(but for that he'd have been in SA) as stamenamer blasted 156 off 130 balls in Wellington overnight, his maiden 1st class century. Batting #8, he was the only ND batsman to pass 50 as they were dismissed in 87 overs for 403.

Southee added 69 for the last wicket with Ish Sodhi in 11 overs, Sodhi finished 4 not out off 7 balls.

Southee capped his day by blasting out Wellington's top 4, including Jesse Ryder for a duck, leaving the home side reeling at 32/4 at stumps.

In a good round for #8s, English import Gareth Andrew top scored for Canterbury with 180 not out as he, Dean Brownlie and Todd Astle lead a recovery from 77/5 on day 1 in Auckland. The southerners ultimately declared at lunch on day 2 with 405/9, Kyle Mills taking 5-109.

Andrew quickly reduced the hosts to 11/2 by dismissing Lou Vincent and Reece Young. Auckland collapsed to 55/5 before Phil Mustard (55) and Gareth Hopkins (96 not out) (note there are 5 wicketkeepers in the Auckland top 7!) began a rearguard action. Hopkins also found support from Kyle Mills (61 not out), seeing them through to 264/7 at stumps on day 2.

Rain affected the 1st day of the Otago vs Central Districts match, the home side getting through to 181/4 thanks to 63 from Aaron Redmond and 88 not out from Ryan ten Doeschate.

well batted Tim Southee!!!!!!!!!

Gareth Hopkins finished 122no as Auckland battled through to 307 all out. Kyle Mills and Bruce Martin then blasted Canterbury out for 120 in their 2nd innings, taking 5 apiece and giving Mills 10 for the match. Chasing 219 to win Auckland reached 153/2 at stumps on day 3 with Tim McIntosh unbeaten on 51.

Ryan ten Doeschate completed a century for Otago and half centuries from Sam Wells, Mark Craig and Neil Wagner helped the hosts through to 427 on day two. In reply CD were 115/1 at stumps, Jamie How not out on 51.

Play was washed out in the Wellington vs ND match.

Auckland finished off a 7 wicket win over Canterbury overnight courtesy of a Craig Cachopa 50 and Tim McIntosh's 77 not out.

Runs all the way down the order helped Central Districts to 449 in reply to Otago's 427, Mathew Sinclair posted 142, his 36th first class century to go 6th on the NZ all time list, while Jamie How and Carl Cachopa chipped in half centuries. Neil Wagner took 4 wickets for the hosts. Otago go into day 4 on 37/1, a draw looks likely.

Things weren't so good for Wellington, who lost 12 wickets in the day vs Northern Districts. Resuming on 32/4 they slipped to 67/7 before Luke Ronchi (113) and Jeetan Patel (35) added a century stand. Ronchi marshalled another 36 runs for the last 2 wickets before becoming Tim Southee's 5th victim with the score at 209.

ND duly enforced the follow on, and Wellington's top order failed again, slipping to 67/4 before Luke Woodcock and Josh Brodie stabilised. By stumps they had posted 204/6, with all hopes of salvaging a draw resting on the shoulders of Ronchi (62 not out) and last week's surprise centurion-as-night-watchman Scott Kuggeleijn.

Luke Ronchi's 2nd century of the match plus support from Scott Kuggeleijn (83) and #10 Dane Hutchinson (45) got Wellington through to 390, setting Northern Districts 194 to win. Kane Williamson made no race of it, scoring 121 not out as ND won by 6 wickets.

In the Otago vs CD game Otago opted for batting practice as the game petered out to a draw. Ryan ten Doeschate and night watchman Neil Wagner posted half centuries.

I didn't bother reporting on the HRV Cup T20s, but ultimately the Otago Volts came through to win and qualify for the Champions League

There was a round of Plunkett Shield played finishing Sunday, and Otago hammered Wellington by an innings and 241 runs in Dunedin.

Batting first Wellington stumbled to 248 all out with no-one passing 50, Blair Soper (5-76) and James Fuller (4-55) sharing the bulk of the wickets. In reply Otago amassed 651/9 declared, lead by Michael Bracewell (190), Neil Broom (134), Hamish Rutherford (90) and Derek de Boorder (68).

Fuller took 6-24 as Wellington were rolled over for 157 in their second innings.

The script was very similar in Hamilton - the visiting team batting first and losing by an innings and 90 runs this time. Auckland's 240 featured a superb century (141 not out) from number 7 Dusan Hakaraia, on his 1st class debut - Hakaraia is 29 years old, but being born in Hawaii may explain the late starting 1st class career. Anurag Verma took 7-82 for Northern Districts.

ND then amassed 614/7, with Daniel Flynn scoring 166 opening the batting, and good contributions from Brad Wilson (139) , James Marshall (102) and Daryll Mitchell (68). Craig Cachopa's 115 lead Auckland to 284 in their second innings, but for the second time in the match they were unable to bat a full day. Jono (brother of Trent) Boult picked up 4 wickets with his off-spin.

In contrast with the other two matches there were no centuries scored in Napier where Central Districts took top spot on the table back from Otago with a solid win over Canterbury. Batting first CD were all out for 303, with 50s to Mathew Sinclair, Kruger van Wyk and Jeet Ravel. Canterbury recovered from 22/3 to post 292 thanks to 80s from Dean Brownlie and Andrew Ellis. Kyle Jarvis and Andrew Mathieson took 4 wickets each.

CD's 320 all out (Noema-Barnett 90 and Ross Taylor 52) left Canterbury needing 331 to win, and they were handily placed at 88/1 at stumps on day 3. Day four saw them collapse against spin however as Ajaz Patel claimed 6-57 to dismiss the visitors for 250.

Just to add to the above, the Plunkett Shield has come down to a 2 horse race between Central Districts on 92 points and Otago on 77. Both teams only have 3 games remaining (the other teams have 4 left to play), but the nice complicated points system means it's hard to see anyone else (Northern Districts are 3rd on 55) picking up enough points to catch up

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