Despite some questionable tactical decisions, Canterbury beat Wellington and is joint leader with Auckland after two rounds of the Shell Super Max league cricket competition.
Canterbury headed Wellington by 27 runs at Hagley Oval yesterday, producing two polished batting performances, but took some debatable bowling options.
Canterbury elected to use its quicker bowlers at the start of both Wellington innings when it appeared the home team's raft of medium pace or slow bowlers may have been better options on a wicket which was losing its pace with its fourth game in two days.
``It's a pretty new game and we're learning all the time,''said captain Llorne Howell.
``We had a plan and initially we stuck to that. We probably have to look more at different bowlers for different tracks. But Warren Wisneski did pretty well and he's a pace bowler.''
Canterbury had posted a handy 100 for three batting first, with Black Caps Stephen Fleming and Craig McMillan to the fore.
But Wellington sped to 54 without loss from the first four overs delivered by Geoff Allott and Shane Bond. Once the slower bowlers, notably Chris Harris and Mark Priest, came on the run rate dropped and wickets tumbled, Harris capturing one of two hat-tricks on the day.
Canterbury compiled another solid score of 109 for five from its second innings with Fleming again top scoring, leaving Wellington 120 to win.
Again Wellington prospered off the pacier bowlers, and at 60 for two after five overs was exactly halfway to the target.
Harris, allied with Wisneski, dragged back the run rate, the dangerous Roger Twose was removed, and Wellington faded.
Canterbury and Auckland emerged unbeaten after the opening two rounds held in Christchurch during the past three days.
Auckland looked impressive inflicting upon defending Max champion the Northern Knights its second successive loss after Canterbury had beaten it on Friday night.
Former international pace bowler Chris Pringle took the day's other hat-trick, ruining Northern's second innings as it chased 117 to beat Auckland.
Apart from three wickets with consecutive deliveries, the experienced Pringle finished with best figures of five for 19.
Northern was left winless along with Otago, while Wellington and the Central Stags had one win each.