From Dion Nash's perspective, Auckland's Shell Trophy match against Central Districts which ended at Fitzherbert Park today was in every way a satisfactory outing - though he might have had a sneaking sense of unease about a four-day match concluded within two days.

He made a winning start as Auckland's captain, a role he has taken from Blair Pocock, leading his team to a win by eight wickets in six sessions and to a more prominent position on the Trophy table.

From a personal point of view he scored 64 in Auckland's first innings - the second-highest individual score of the match and a component in a partnership which gave Auckland it's dominant position. And, most importantly, most happily from his own viewpoint, he bowled 11 overs of medium pace - including seven brisk and effective overs today, to take 3-30 and to announce the end of his long, wearisome rehabilitation from a serious back injury.

No-one made a more comprensive contribution towards determining the outcome of the match than Nash - though it could be argued the Central batsman who were out in two innings for 132 and 108 had a substantial say in matters.

Nash influenced the match from a positive and pro-active point of view while Central - the newly crowned Shell Cup champions, tasted bitter defeat only five days after receiving their one-day crown.

This was match which proceeded at the pace of a television highlights package - a smattering of boundaries and a collection of false shots and wicketfalls. There were 15 wickets on the first day yesterday - Central were already out for 132 in their first innings and Auckland were 129/5 in reply - and there were 17 more today - 32 wickets and 481 runs - as the match sped along at a lunatic pace.

Auckland finally reached 223 in their first innings for a lead of 91 and Central, all out for 108 in their second turn at bat, left them only 18 runs to get for an outright win. Still, in keeping with the nature of the match which was cricket directed by Quentin Tarantino - all violence and profanity - they managed to lose two wickets in six overs before that total was reached.

It would be comforting to lay the blame for the carnage on the Fitzherbert Park pitch: an unremarkable though noticeably greenish strip of land adjacent to another on which a multitude of runs had been scored in a Hawke Cup match only days ago.

It would also be to easy to conclude that the pitch alone was responsible for the consecutive destruction of the top order in four innings.

In Central's first innings, they had been 33/4 and had recovered to 93/5 before they were all out for 132. Auckland had been 21/3, 38/4 and 70/5 in their first innings before Nash and Mills led them to a first innings lead. They were 179/6 when Nash was out for 64 after putting on 105 in his second century partnership with Mills this Trophy season. They were 195/8 and in a strong position when Mills was out for the match's highest score of 67.

Central were then 27/3 and 45/5, finally 85/8 in their second innings before they were all out meekly for 108 in 50 overs and 19 minutes more than three hours. Those eight wickets had fallen before Auckland had an obligation to bat again.

Of the Central batsmen, Craig Spearman made 37 then threw his wicket away with the kind of loose shot outside off stump - built of something between frustration and disinterest - which has characterised his career. Two batsmen were run out, Joseph Hill for 0 and Mark Douglas, in one of a declining number of matches in this last year of his first-class career, without facing a ball. It would have been a brave man who approached Douglas at that moment and said 'I hate it when that happens'.

Nash took 3-16 from seven overs in which he approached full pace. His victimes were Ben Smith, bowlled for 17, and Ewen Thompson and Gareth West who were out within two balls of each other in Nash's fifth over.

Chris Drum took 3-45 and Tama Canning 3-10 from nine overs.

But those bowling performances didn't approach the effort in the morning of the young Nelson leg spinner Tim Anderson who took the five Auckland wickets that fell before lunch and finished with 6-37 from 15.3 overs.

Anderson had been a member of the Central squad as the season approached but suffered a stress fracture at a pre-season training camp and could not return till yesterday. This match was as much a triumph for him in his victory over injury as it was for Nash for the same reason.

But there is some incomprehensible logic in the fact medium pacers dominated the first day of the match and the last two sessions and a leg spinner dominated the morning session on the second day. Because quicks took 12 wickets yesterday and 10 today but for a single session spin held sway.

And that also says something about the alleged difficulty of the pitch which was bipartisan enough, or diabolical enough, to favour quick bowling for most of the match and spin for a single session.

There was some irregular bounce, certainly, and a ball or two reared sharply from a length. There must also have been significant lateral movement because 16 batsmen nicked themselves out and fell to catches behind the wicket.

At last, and in that spirit, spare a thought for Auckland opener John Aiken who had the worst experience of the Groundhog Day phenomenon Trophy cricket has recently seen.

Brent Hefford opened the bowling for Central in Auckland's first innings sending down a wide first ball which was wide enough to endanger the safety of third slip. But his second ball was a screamer that opened up Aiken, caught an edge and flew to gully.

Today in Auckland's second innings, Hefford opened the bowling and sent down a wide first ball which was wide enough to endanger the safety of third slip. But his second balls a screamer that opened up Aiken, caught an edge and flew to first slip. The experience of deja vu was not a welcome one for Aiken who finished with a technical golden pair.

For the record, Hefford finished with 4-57 in Auckland's first innings, sharing the wickets with Anderson.

Central's next match is now against Northern Districts in Napier, transferred from Masterton where the pitch was held to be of insufficient quality.

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