In Timaru stubborn middle and lower-order batting pulled the Northern Conference cricket team out of trouble on the first day of its four-day match against Pakistan A at the Aorangi Bowl yesterday.

After battling at 133 for six, Northern finished the day at 231 for nine in the first round of Conference cricket.

The salient feature was the amount of spin in the wicket which is likely to suit Northern's Daniel Vettori, New Zealand's No. 1 spin bowler.

With Northern's Dion Nash winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Pakistan must bat fourth on a pitch subjected to an inspection by the umpires and New Zealand Cricket operations manager John Reid midway through the afternoon.

Day 2: Timaru games in jeopardy

by Shayne Currie

Timaru is in danger of missing out on first-class cricket games in future after the Pakistan A-Northern Conference match was abandoned yesterday.

The game was called off after tea because of the diabolical state of the Aorangi Bowl wicket.

It got so bad on the second day of the four-day match that two Pakistani batsmen suffered broken bones and Northern spinner Daniel Vettori virtually managed to bowl a bouncer.

It was the first time a first-class match had been abandoned in New Zealand because of the state of the wicket, although a Canterbury-Northern Districts Shell Cup match did not start at Lancaster Park last season because of pitch problems.

Pakistan A opener Wajahatullaha Wasti suffered fractured ribs and middle-order batsman Taimur Khan a broken thumb.

``We're extremely disappointed, to say the least,'' New Zealand Cricket operations manager John Reid said.

The national body had put a huge investment into the conference cricket series and wanted it to be played on the best facilities.

Reid conceded the abandonment would be ``very harmful'' to Timaru's chances of hosting first-class games in future, including Canterbury matches.

The quality of the pitch was the key in any decision on where a game should be held, and historical factors played an important part of this, Reid said.

Timaru is scheduled to host a Shell Trophy match between Canterbury and Otago in early March.

Reid said officials from NZC, Canterbury Cricket, and South Canterbury would meet to find out what went wrong and why.

Canterbury Cricket chief executive Tony Murdoch said last night he felt great sympathy for the South Canterbury association, which had worked hard.

Several factors may have caused the problem, including recent weather and ground staff's access to prepare the pitch after the winter sports season.

There was still a lot of time before the Shell Trophy match. ``We are not going to just jump in and take the game away,'' Murdoch said, but added that QEII Stadium management would probably be put on standby.

Umpire Doug Cowie said the Aorangi pitch had been dubious from the start of the match.

It was first inspected after Wednesday's first session, when Northern and New Zealand opener Bryan Young was hit during the fifth over, damaging a finger.

Cowie said a range of officials had been involved in the decision to abandon the match, including representatives from New Zealand Cricket.

``They were reluctant for us to do what we had to do but in the interests of the players it was the safest decision to make in the end,'' Cowie said.

At the abandonment Pakistan A was 141 for six chasing the solid Northern total of 272.