Date-stamped : 14 Dec1998 - 19:33 17 October 1996 Patient Parore denied century Dipak Patel hit a four from the third-to-last ball to give Mark Greatbatch`s XI a six-wicket victory over Lee Germon`s XI in a contrived finish to the New Zealand cricket squad`s practice match at Hagley Oval yesterday. The two-day game was effectively decided by tea, when Greatbatch`s XI -- deprived of promising young batsman Stephen Lynch because of injury -- declared at 180 for eight, 59 runs behind Germon`s XI. The innings had been dominated by opener Adam Parore, who batted almost four hours, faced 178 balls, and struck 12 boundaries in reach- ing 92. Aware of the looming declaration, Parore was eight runs short of his century when leg-spinner Greg Loveridge began the last over before tea. Parore was kept scoreless for five balls, then struck out at the sixth and was caught by Nathan Astle, running back from mid-wicket. A 66-run sixth-wicket stand with Patel had been by far the most productive partnership, as young medium-fast bowlers Da- vid Sewell and Robert Kennedy shared the honours with Parore. Sewell took a wicket in each of his three spells, but was com- paratively expensive. Kennedy dismissed Chris Harris and Craig McMillan with consecutive deliveries either side of the lunch break, while conceding only 25 runs from his 13 overs. After tea, Germon`s XI scored 24 runs from 11.2 overs, set- ting Greatbatch`s men a target of 84 runs to win in 15 overs. Greatbatch, Harris, and Chris Cairns were out before Llorne Howell and McMillan rattled on 40 runs in 16min to swing the balance. Howell, after being a second-ball victim to Sewell earlier in the day, was unbeaten with 25 runs from 23 balls, and McMillan included a six and two fours in his 17 runs from 11 balls. Scores: Germon`s XI 239-9 dec. and 24-1 dec. lost to Greatbatch`s XI 180-8 dec. (A Parore 92, M Greatbatch 23, C Cairns 20, D Patel 27; D Sewell 3-52, R Kennedy 2-25) and 86-4 (L Howell 25no; N Astle 2-27). Source :: The Press Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)