SPEARMAN MAKES IT A DOUBLE IN POTCHEFSTROOM

Spearman, who scored exactly 100 in the New Zealand first innings, laid into a depleted North West attack to make 115 before retiring. His innings enabled New Zealand to declare at 242 for two, setting the home side 423 to win with Monday’s final day remaining.

North West were bowled out for 100 on Sunday morning and they barely made a better start to their second turn at bat. Andrew Lawson, who made 0 in the first innings, was out to the first ball he faced in the second, edging Shayne O’Connor to Spearman at third slip.

Arno Jacobs was bowled by Daryl Tuffey for 13 five overs later and in all, North West faced nine overs before stumps, reaching 37 for two at the close. Hendrik de Vos is not out on 8 and Glen Hewitt has 12.

Spearman’s second century of the game was an even more adventurous effort than his first as he took just 57 balls to score his last 65 runs after being 50 not out at lunch. In all he hit 16 fours and two sixes before calling it a day to allow Mathew Sinclair a hit.

Mark Richardson was the only wicket to fall to North West shortly after lunch when he top-edged a sweep at Craig Light to be caught at backward square by Jacobs for 39.

The wicket fell at 101, and Spearman decided he’d had enough at 175. There was time enough still before the declaration for Stephen Fleming to make an unbeaten 52, thus becoming the sixth of New Zealand’s likely Test top six to make a 50 in one of the two warm up matches.

NEW ZEALAND OPENING PAIR TURN THE SCREWS

The home side were dismissed for exactly 100 in their first innings four overs after lunch in reply to New Zealand’s 280 for six declared and in perfect batting conditions Richardson and Spearman galloped along to 99 without loss at tea. Spearman had 50 while Richardson was on 38.

Life for the New Zealand openers was made even more comfortable when an already thin North West attack was further depleted by the absence of two seam bowlers. Francois van der Merwe, who took the new ball in the New Zealand first innings, was off the field for the whole session with diarrhoea while Alfonso Thomas had been struck three times on the bowling hand while batting as nightwatchman in the morning and was able to get through only two overs before leaving the field for treatment.

Spearman, who made 100 in the New Zealand first innings, was the dominant partner, taking 87 minutes before reaching his 50 with a single nudged around the corner off Jannie Dreyer.

The absence of Van der Merwe and Thomas forced North West to give Dreyer an extended opening spell and he bowled 12 overs for 34 before taking a well-deserved rest.

Earlier, Ezra Poole was the last man out for North West, coming down late on a yorker from Chris Martin to be bowled for 35. Martin finished with three for 27 while Shayne O’Connor took three for 14 and Daryl Tuffey three for 23. The remaining North West wicket was claimed by legspinner Brooke Walker (one for 35).

POOLE TOP SCORES WITH 35 AS NORTH WEST MAKE 100

Wicketkeeper Ezra Poole, who top-scored with 35, was the last man out when he was late on a yorker from Chris Martin and was bowled. Martin finished with three for 27 while the other New Zealand wicket-takers were Shayne O’Connor with three for 14, Daryl Tuffey with three for 23 and Brooke Walker with one for 35.

New Zealand chose not to enforce the follow-on and sent Mark Richardson and Craig Spearman in to open their second innings.

KIWI SEAMERS RIP THROUGH NORTH WEST

After starting the day at 0 for two, North West stumbled into lunch at 93 for nine as Daryl Tuffey and Chris Martin Walker joined Shayne O’Connor in making a meal of the North West batting.

O’Connor had taken the first two wickets of the innings, both caught by Fleming, on Saturday evening and he grabbed a third in the 10th over of the morning when he trapped opener Hendrik de Vos LBW for 7. It had taken North West until the eighth over of the innings to score their first runs, and although they eventually managed to lift their scoring rate above one to the over, they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.

O’Connor had started from the Pavilion end on Saturday evening, and when he was eventually rested after 10 overs, he had taken three for 8. Tuffey was switch around and almost immediately proved equally effective.

He had nightwatchman Alfonso Thomas caught by Fleming for 16, bowled Glen Hewitt for 8 and then then provided Fleming with his fourth catch of the innings off Martin Venter for 5.

Craig Light produced one of the innings’ rare attacking shots when he lifted Brooke Walker over long off for six, but the leg spinner had his revenge when Light wandered down the pitch and was stumped by Adam Parore for 8.

At this point, North West were 49 for seven. But wicketkeeper Ezra Poole came in to carry the attack to New Zealand for the first time in the innings. He hit Walker straight for six and then twice pierced the off side field in Walker’s next over for fours.

The Pavilion end had offered the quick men a fair amount of bounce and success and when Martin replaced Tuffey (12-6-19-3), he bowled Morne Strydom off a bottom edge for 9 at 75 for eight.

Poole, however, continued unperturbed. Short and chubby, he thrashed a Walker full toss through midwicket for four and then cheekily uppercut Martin over the slips for his fifth four before thumping Walker again through midwicket for yet another boundary.

Martin claimed his second wicket in the over before lunch when he had Jannie Dreyer caught at second slip for 6.

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Date-stamped : 12 Nov2000 - 18:23