Seamers seal win for Wellington
A round-up of the eighth round of matches from the 2010-11 Plunket Shield
ESPNcricinfo staff24-Mar-2011With bad weather affecting cricket across the country, more than a day’s play was lost in Auckland’s match against Wellington at Colin Maiden Park. That didn’t stop the match ending with a result, however and with bowlers running rampant in the damp weather Wellington sealed a 125-run win on the fourth day as Auckland were bowled out for 144 in pursuit of 270.Weather breaks meant there was a very slow start to the game, Wellington’s first-innings total of 258 taking more than two days to compile, with half-centuries from opener Stephen Murdoch and captain Grant Elliott propping up the innings and Chris Martin taking 5 for 47 – his 22nd five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. On a remarkable third day, which saw 17 wickets fall for 290 runs, Auckland stumbled to 8 for 151 declared and then shot Wellington out for just 162, Martin helping himself to another four wickets and left-arm spinner Bruce Martin taking 5 for 57.Auckland were set an unlikely 270 to win the game on the fourth day, but mere survival proved too challenging as seamers Mark Gillespie, Andy McKay and Ili Tugaga ripped through the top order to reduce the opposition to 7 for 81. Bradley Cachopa’s 33 briefly held them back, while Michael Bates reached an unbeaten 32 to no avail as Gillespie returned to wrap up the tail and the win for Wellington.The contest between Central Districts and Northern Districts was marred by rain, with the second, third and fourth days washed out at McLean park in Napier. There was some play on the first, just 8.2 overs where Northern Districts managed 21 for the loss of a wicket. The teams didn’t take any points from the game. Central Districts retained their place at the top of the table with 28 points, while Northern Districts were second with 26.Persistent bad weather through four days meant that only 151 overs of play were possible in the game between Canterbury and Otago at the Mainpower Oval in Rangiora as the match ended in a draw.In a rain-affected first day where play began at 4.30pm local time, Canterbury seized the early impetus when they reduced Otago to 44 for 4. Otago ended the first day on 69 for 4 and their first innings spanned the better part of the next four days as no play was possible on the second day and only 39-odd overs on the third day.Canterbury looked to force a first-innings result on the fourth day as an all-round show from their bowlers helped them bowl Otago out for 199 with captain Craig Cumming the only batsmen to offer some resistance with a defiant unbeaten century. Propped by an unbeaten half-century from Dean Brownlie and handy forties from Rob Nicol and Peter Fulton, Canterbury posted 200 for 5 in their first innings before play ended to help them secure two points.