Steve McMorran
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8th Match: Wellington v Northern Districts at Wellington, 6 Jan 2002 Steve McMorran |
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Wellington innings:
Pre-game: Northern Districts innings: |
Simon Doull, opening Northern's innings as they replied to Wellington's 206-9, treated Franklin's opening sally with cultivated disrepect, hitting him for two fours and a six as he, individually, took 16 from the over.
Franklin's first ball yielded a single, his second was a wide and his third and fourth were crashed to the boundary for four. There was an ironic cheer when Doull met the next ball with a studied defensive shot and a gasp when he hurled the last ball over cover for six.
Doull's start and Northern's was breathtaking and more than a quiver passed down the spines of the Wellington players whose total seemed vulnerable to a continued assault of similar ferocity.
The treatment Franklin received was a particular indignity because the young Wellington fast bowler has been placed on standby to join the Black Caps for the Tri-Nations series in Australia, if Kyle Mills is ruled unfit.
Doull's assault held the potential to damage both his confidence and his reputation. But Franklin showed true mettle and replied to the first over barrage in an exemplary manner.
With Mark Gillespie, who was a late inclusion in Wellington's side for this match as a replacement for the injured Andrew Penn, Frankline returned to wreck Northern's innings.
Northern were 18-0 after one over but 13 overs late when drinks were taken they were 42-4. Franklin had 0-18 after his first over but when his first spell ended at drinks, he had 2-25 and his next six overs had cost only seven runs.
Gillespie's first spell of six overs returned 2-14 and Wellington had fully turned the match around when drinks were taken.
Franklin dismissed Mark Bailey, lbw for 0, and Matthew Hart, who was also among the three lbw victims who had fallen by drinks. Gillespie ripped out Doull for 18, much to Wellington's relief, and dismissed opner James Marshall for 6.
Wickets fell at 22, then 34, 35 and 36.
When Bell finally ran himself out, from the last ball of the 37th over in a match from which 16 overs have been lopped because of rain, he was 65 and had cemented his team's innings which was then a assemblage of insubstantial pieces.
Wellington were compelled to bat when Northern Districts won an important toss and embraced, with delight, to opportunity to bowl first on a pitch, still new and redolent with promise for the fast bowlers. Though it had none of the volatility it exhibited yesterday when it allowed only 226 runs in the match between Wellington and Central Districts, conditions weren't in favour of the team batting first and scoring required both patience and improvisation.
Wellington collected runs painstakingly and Bell provided the essence which bound their innings. He was involved in partnerships for the first five wickets and was eventually the fifth wicket to fall when they were 164 and had five overs remaining.
Wellington had the obvious aim of preserving wickets today, then launching their chase for runs in the latter overs with wickets in hand. While they achieved that purpose to a degree by managing to avoid the regular early wicketfalls that impeded their progress yesterday, they weren't able to accelerate their scoring till Mayu Pasupati, Matthew Walker and Mark Jefferson went on their late charge.
A total of 42 runs were scored and four wickets fell in those chaotic final five overs when Wellington's total raced ahead and took on an appearance of defensibility.
The day had begun 90 minutes late because of rain and the affects of rain. A torrential shower burst over the Basin Reserve an hour after play had ceased yesterday and rain continued intermittently through the night and during the morning.
While the covers kept the pitch from harm, water spilling from the covers left puddles on the fringe of the wicket block and dampened the bowlers' run-ups.
Nevin and Bell's opening stand yesterday had ended in the third over before a run had been scored when Nevin was out for 0. Today they seemed determined to give Wellington's innings a solid foundation, to make their own partnership flourish, and they did so effectively seeing off the new ball, frustrating Darryl Tuffey and Simon Doull who opened Northern's attack.
Bell and Nevin put on 51 in 63 minutes for Wellington's first wicket before Nevin was out in the 14th over. Their's appeared to be a platform on which Wellington could build.
But the partnerships that followed, while some were long, were not entirely profitable. Bell put on 43 in 46 minutes for the second wicket before Jones, who had been disconcerted by a blow in the face from the young speedster Ian Butler in the first over he faced was bowled by Joseph Yovich for 14.
With David Sales, the English professional, Bell added 26 for the third wicket and he had put on seven with his Stokes Valley teammate Grant Donaldson before Donaldson was run out in one of the season's most hairline decisions. The video umpire considered a variety of side on and end on replays and considered them at length before ruling Donaldson's bat was on the line but had not cut the line when Darryl Tuffey's throw broke his wicket.
Bell was next out, after adding 37 in 29 minutes with a more aggressive Matthew Walker. He was also run out, attempting to push ahead Wellington's scoring rate by taking a second run and being beaten by a throw from Matthew Hart.
Mayu Pasupati, promoted to No 7 in the order after scoring 28 yesterday while batting at No 9, attacked the bowling and put on 23 in nine minutes with Mark Jefferson before he was out. He followed Walker who ws superbly caught by Tuffey from Butler's bowling in the 40th over for 25.
Wellington's innings contained three run outs, the last in the final over when Mark Gillespie was short of his ground and was out for five.
Yovich, who wasn't necessarily the best of the Northern bowlers, had the best analysis, finsihing with 3-25 from eight overs.
Butler bowled well but contributed to Northern's over-generous total of 27 extras. He had only 1-43 from eight testing overs of surprising pace but he bowled seven no balls, including four in one over.
Tuffey took 1-51 from nine overs and Doull was left wicketless.
Bell was 50 not out, his half century coming from 92 balls, when drinks were taken in the 29th over.
Wellington lost wickets just prior to both drinks breaks which interupted their 42-over innings. Chris Nevin was out for 28 a ball before the first drinks break when Wellington was 51-1 and David Sales was out for 11 a ball before the second adjournment when they were 120-3.
Between the intervals Richard Jones wa sout for 14 when Wellington was 94.
Nevin mistimed a delivery from Joseph Yovich and skied a catch from a leading edge to James Marshall, sprinting from cover towards midoff.
Jones was bowled from Yovich when he returned to the attack at the northern end of the ground, to bowl with a stiff and cool southerly at his back.
Sales drop-kicked a ball from Matthew Hart directly to Grant Bradburn at mid wicket, neatly picking out the only fieldsman within catching range on the leg side.
Yovich, who bowled a full length and good off-stump line, had 2-19 from seven overs at drinks.
The opening pair put on 51 runs - a useful first wicket stand in trying batting conditions - before Nevin was out for 28 to the last ball of the 14th over.
Bell remained 15 not out when drinks were taken, Wellington still 51-1, and Richard Jones had made an earlier than expected appearance at the batting crease.
Nevin was out to Joseph Yovich, skying a leading edge to James Marshall who sprinted and dived from cover to mid off to complete the catch.
Wellington made slow progress but the union of Bell and Nevin allowed them to resist the damage that might have been done by the new ball on a receptive pitch. Both played with apparent caution, waiting they were given length or width to work the ball.
Nevin played a few of the rifle-shot cuts that he manages, because of his height, when the ball is close to his body. Bell pushed forward and steered the ball into gaps forward of the wicket.
They had Wellington 17-0 after five overs and 40-0 after 10 - a reasonable scoring rate in the circumstances.
The pitch was perhaps not as lively as it had been when it was completely fresh for yesterday's match against Central Districts, when it seamed disconcertingly and when Wellington, batting first, was 17-2 after 10 overs.
The weather remained fine though cool and there seemed no danger in the near future of a return of the showers that delayed the start of the match.
The match will begin 90 minutes late at 1.30pm and has been reduced to 42 overs per side.
Wellington fast bowler Andrew Penn failed a fitness test and has been replaced in the Firebirds 11 by Mark Gillespie while Jeetan Patel will be 12th man.
Northern named Graeme Aldridge 12th man.
The weather is fine at present and the temperature is being lowered by a cool southerly breeze. There is no immediate sign of a return of the showers which put back the start by causing waterlogging around the fringe of the covers.
Teams:
Wellington: Matthew Bell (captain), Chris Nevin, Grant Donaldson, Richard Jones, David Sales, James Franklin, Matthew Walker, Mark Jefferson, Mayu Pasupati, Paul Hitchcock, Mark Gillespie, Jeetan Patel (12th man).
Northern Districts: Rob Hart (captain), Jaden Hatwell, Mark Bailey, Grant Bardburn, Ian Butler, Simon Doull, Matthew Hart, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Daryl Tuffey, Joseph Yovich, Graeme Aldridge (12th man).
While the pitch and wicket block were covered through the night and during the morning when showers fell continuously, water running off the covers has pooled at both ends of the block and created areas which are both slippery and waterlogged.
Umpires Brent Bowden and Dave Quested made a pitch inspection at 12.30 and hope to allow play to begin at 1.30, once the troublesome areas have dried. The covers have been drawn back, the wickets put in their place and the water-damaged areas are drying under blue skies and a strong southerly breeze.
The weather has been fine for the past two hours but there are still ranks of dark clouds to the south of the Basin Reserve, being driven toward the ground by that cool southerly wind.
Wellington are still assessing the fitness of fast bowler Andrew Penn, who has a hamstring injury, and whose place will be taken by Mark Gillespie if he is ruled unfit.
Northern have also yet to name a 12th man.
They looked downwards at the pitch which provided such enthusiastic assistance to fast bowlers in the match between Wellington and Central Districts on Saturday that both teams were dismissed for a total of 226 runs and Wellington., who made only 168, won by a margin of almost two thirds of that score.
They looked upwards at a moving canopy of dark and fecund clouds which had already brought a cool and dampening rain to the ground this morning and which seemed with the prospect of fresh showers.
Behind those clouds, to the south from which there came a chill and steady breeze, there was a patchwork of blue sky which held the promise of a weather improvement. But the clouds lie away to the east and south in ranks and rallies which might bring new and passing platoons of showers throughout the day.
Play is due to begin today at noon and, for the benefit of television, on the same pitch as yesterday's match which has been covered these last 16 hours. Wellington were fortunate to wrap up Saturday's match early, by bowling out Central for 58 within 86 minutes and 17.3 overs, because heavy rain fell within an hour and a half of the game's conclusion.
That rain continued, at times heavily, throughout the evening and in volleyed showers this morning.
When the most recent shower passed around 11am, groundstaff set to work preparing the ground for play and umpires Dave Quested and Brent Bowden made a cursory, preliminary inspection.
If the weather improvement continues, at least if the clouds to the south are slowed in their progress from Island Bay towards Wellington City, the match might begin at 1pm, after a further inspection at 12am.
Wellington fast bowler Andrew Penn is undergoing a fitness test this morning after injuring a hamstring yesterday. If he is ruled unfit, his place in the Wellington XI will be taken by Mark Gillespie.
Stephen Fleming has left the Wellington team to join the Black Caps in Australia and his place has been taken by Grant Donaldson.
The 12th men will be named when the fitness test on Penn has been completed and when the pitch has been uncovered.
Teams:
Wellington: Matthew Bell (captain), Chris Nevin, Richard Jones, Grant Donaldson, David Sales, James Franklin, Matthew Walker, Andrew Penn, Mark Jefferson, Mayu Pasupati, Paul Hitchcock, Mark Gillespie (12th man to be named).
Northern Districts: Rob Hart (captain), Jaden Hatwell, Mark Bailey, Grant Bradburn, Ian Butler, Simon Doull, Matthew Hart, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Daryl Tuffey, Graeme Aldridge, Joseph Yovich (12th man to be named).
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 06 Jan2002 - 22:35