12th Match: Northern Districts v Canterbury at Whangarei, 9 Jan 2002 CricInfo Live Report

12th Match: Northern Districts v Canterbury at Whangarei, 9 Jan 2002
Chris Rosie

Canterbury innings: first drinks, second drinks, end of innings,
Pre-game: Toss,
Northern Districts innings: first drinks, end of innings,

NORTHERN REACH TARGET – WITH NERVES FRAYED.

After drinks at the end of the 17th over, batting took on a whole new perspective as Bradburn and Hatwell found scoring as difficult as their Canterbury counterparts. After nudging the score up to 94 in the 21st over, Northern lost their sixth wicket, Bradburn superbly taken at backward point by Shanan Stewart.

Stewart was in the act again when Martin took over from Wiseman at the city end, collecting the edge and sending Hatwell on his way for five. Northern 98 for seven, still 21 short of victory.

Joseph Yovich and Robbie Hart set about reaching the target with 27 overs available. However, the partnership was short-lived, Cunis getting the edge, Papps doing the rest and Yovich on his way for a solitary boundary scoring shot.

Tuffey joined Hart and the pair brought the 100 up in the 24th over. Nineteen required. At the same stage, Canterbury were 63 for five.

A Tuffey edge waist high to the boundary through slips reduced the deficit fortuitously. At the end of the 26th over, 13 required. Hart and Tuffey were leaving outside off as well as openers in a test match.

The sun came out again and Martin bowled a wide – 12 required. A single to complete the over – 11. Cunis gave up two singles, one in the air uncomfortably close to gully. Nine required. Nerves in the Cobham members’ lounge frayed.

Stead brought Wisneski back from the city end – a maiden to Hart. Still 110 for eight. Cunis came back for his last; Tuffey put his third past cover for four and his fourth through the legs of Doody at cover for three and Hart completed the victory with a mid-wicket drive for four.

Northern finished on 121 for eight in the 29th over for a two-wicket victory and a bonus point. Tuffey ended up with 14 and Hart seven.

Given the small total to defend, the Canterbury bowlers turned the match into a contest. Wiseman, with 14 runs off his six overs even when Doull was at his most rampant contained the scoring, and Cunis, with four for 37, took wickets when it mattered.

However, Canterbury could not overcome the contribution of Simon Doull, his 55 the difference between winning and losing.

DOULL BEACON IN COBHAM MURK

The sun shone on the Northern openers, James Marshall and Simon Doull, as they set out after the supposedly meagre target of 119. A lofted straight drive in Chris Martin’s first over and a heaved six over backward square leg and a skied four to third man in his second suggested Simon Doull had bonus points in mind.

However, Doull gave the Canterbury bowlers hope, swinging and missing as often as he hit. Warren Wisneski, opening from the city end, suffered similar indignity, a Doull edge flying over first slip for another four.

By the end of the fifth over, the target had been reduced to 90. Martin’s two overs having cost 17, Gary Stead turned to the left-arm spin of Carl Anderson for relief – and found it immediately. With his first ball, Anderson had Marshall gently delivering it to Brad Doody at short cover.

Marshall gone for nine with the score 29 and Matthew Hart on his way to the crease. And soon on his way back. Wisneski produced one of those rip-snorters the Northern bowlers had specialised in, Hart waved, Papps behind the stumps did the rest.

Hart’s contribution three to a score of 36. Mark Bailey joined Doull (24) and the pair brought the 50 up at the end of the ninth over. At the same stage, Canterbury were 17 for one. In the 10th, Doull went after Anderson, coming down the pitch to collect four, six, four off the last three balls of the 10th over.

However, in the next Bailey took off for a run, Doull was not interested and Bailey departed for seven, run out at the bowler’s end with space to spare. Northern 70 for three.

Hamish Marshall joined Doull (46) but the arrival of Stephen Cunis, brought in after Anderson’s pummeling, saw Marshall quickly on his way back, caught at second slip by Wisneski for two. Northern 72 for four after 12. Grant Bradburn to the crease accompanied by more heavy drizzle.

The murky conditions did not stop Doull bringing up is 50, sending Cunis to the cover boundary off the 36th ball faced. Field placing became a major operation as Wiseman challenged Doull – and kept him quiet.

It was at the other end that Canterbury finally rid themselves of the big hitter, caught by Martin under a high ball off Cunis. Doull’s 55 a standout score on the day. Northern 83 for five in the 16th over.

Jaden Hatwell joined Grant Bradburn with 36 required in 33 overs. At the end of 17 Northern were 85 for five, Bradburn on 4, Hatwell yet to score.

NORTHERN PUT CANTERBURY TO THE SWORD

Refreshment did not help Reekers. After Matthew Hart replaced Bradburn at the city end, Yovich in the second over of his new spell went through the Canterbury all-rounder, ending his innings at 25 with the score 98 for seven.

Paul Wiseman and Warren Wisneski were the new Canterbury pair and they saw the 100 up in the 35th over. The partnership was not enduring – the Hart brothers combining to remove Wisneski caught behind for two with the score 105.

Carl Anderson was the next to face the music as Hart continued to extract the bounce that had undone Wisneski. Doull returned for Yovich in the 39th over as Robbie Hart rang the changes.

The lower order were finding it no easier than their more illustrious counterparts to find runs. When Tuffey returned at the city end to begin the 41st over, the score had struggled through to 109 for eight, the pair producing just four since the departure of Wisneski at the beginning of the 37th.

Aldridge returned for Doull as the clouds over Cobham Oval darkened and the ground staff reached for the covers. However, the rain did not come in time for Wiseman. Aldridge had given up three in the over, expensive in the context of this match but Wiseman’s effort to haul him over the mid-wicket boundary fell into the safe hands of Jaden Hatwell just inside the rope.

Wiseman gone for eight, the score 113 for nine and Chris Martin in, accompanied by the drizzle. He was not around long enough to get too wet, giving Aldridge a skied caught and bowled chance gratefully accepted.

Martin out for four, Anderson not out six, Canterbury all out for 118 in the 44th over.

For Northern Districts, all the bowlers took advantage of the conditions, Yovich with three for 17 off eight overs the best of the wicket-takers; Tuffey with none for 11 off eight overs the most economical.

Northern return after lunch requiring 119 to win and expecting to handle the conditions better than Canterbury and hoping the rain stays away.

CANTERBURY’S STRIFE CONTINUES

Pace gave way to spin in the 21st over as Bradburn took over from Doull (four overs, two for 14) and Northern had immediate success but more through bad communication than good bowling as Stead turned down Stewart’s call and left his partner stranded short of the bowler’s end.

Stewart’s brave innings ended at 27 with the score 61, soon to become 63 for five as Stead on nine cut at Bradburn and Hart took the catch behind the stumps.

Jarrod Englefield and Darron Reekers set about the recovery as the sun tried to force its way through the heavy overcast and brighten Canterbury’s prospects.

Englefield in particular looked keen to move the score along, threatening quick singles and coming down the pitch to Bradburn. However, actions were not being translated into runs – hit balls going direct to the field as Canterbury crawled to 70 at the end of the 26th over.

Doull took over from Aldridge as the Northern bowlers, maintaining line and length and enjoying the assistance of the conditions, continued to dictate terms.

It was therefore almost out of nothing in the 30th over that Reekers lofted Doull back over his head for the first six of the match – nine overs since the previous boundary. Then, as if the six broke some hidden shackles, 13 were taken off the next over from Bradburn, a classic cover drive from Englefield the highlight.

The fun – for Canterbury – was too good to last. Northern brought Yovich back for Doull and he obliged, cleaning out Englefield for 12 wsith the last ball of his first over.

Canterbury 97 for six with drinks taken at the fall of the wicket.

CANTERBURY STRUGGLE AGAINST NORTHERN BOWLERS

Canterbury openers Brad Doody and the promoted Stephen Cunis found the Northern opening duo, Daryl Tuffey and Joseph Yovich, something of a handful. The pitch offered early assistance to the bowlers, as did the heavy overcast skies and humidity, as balls flew through outside groping edges.

The gap between bat and ball was finally closed in the fourth over – Yovich got the edge, Grant Bradburn took the catch at first slip and Cunis was on his way for four. Northern seven for one.

Shanan Stewart joined the left-handed Doody to discover that batting was not an easy proposition. At the end of 10 overs, Canterbury were 17 for one with Stewart yet to open his account. A consistent line on or just outside the off-stump kept the scoring more in keeping with a first-class match than a one-dayer.

Medium-pacer Graeme Aldridge took over from Yovich (one for 11 off five) in the 12th over and promptly provided Stewart with his first run after 21 balls. In a double change, Simon Doull replaced Tuffey (10 off six) at the city end.

The changes brought a sudden flurry of action, Aldridge, bowling fuller than the opening duo, conceding 11 from his second over as Stewart twice lofted him over his head. However, at the other end, Doull was more economical – and more lethal, getting the edge and Robbie Hart behind the stumps doing the rest to send Doody on his way for 12.

Northern 40 for one with regular opener Michael Papps joining Stewart on 16 – but not for long. The same double act sent Papps back without scoring and brought in the Canterbury captain, Gary Stead, in rescue mode.

After 20 overs, Canterbury were 54 for three, Stewart on 26 and Stead on four.

CANTERBURY ELECT TO BAT AT COBHAM

Canterbury won the toss and will bat in their State Shield fourth-round match against Northern Districts reduced to 49 overs each after morning rain.

At stake are the points necessary to get back in touch with runaway leaders, Wellington.

The Cobham Oval block looks its usual dark shade. However, the pitch for this match, while looking distinctly green, is expected to offer its traditional low bounce.

Northern Districts will go into the match with James Marshall, Simon Doull, Matthew Hart, Mark Bailey, Hamish Marshall, Grant Bradburn, Joseph Yovich, Robbie Hart, Daryl Tuffey, Graeme Aldridge and Jaden Hatwell. Ian Butler will carry the drinks.

The Canterbury XI are Michael Papps, Brad Doody, Jarrod Englefield, Shanan Stewart, Gary Stead, Darron Reekers, Paul Wiseman, Warren Wisneski, Carl Anderson, Chris Martin and Stephen Cunis with Ryan Burson 12th man.