• Henry Cooper century as runfests continue in Auckland
• Canterbury rolled for just 68 in Rangiora
• Full scorecards and video highlights for all three matches are available here
The top two sides in the Plunket Shield – Northern Districts and defending champion the Wellington Firebirds – are both in a strong position halfway through the sixth of the eight rounds that decide the national first-class title.
Rangiora has traditionally been Canterbury’s country fortress, but a brilliant second day from the Firebirds saw the hosts rolled for just 68 – Canterbury’s lowest first-class total since March 2018, and one of their lowest tallies since the days of uncovered pitches (of Canterbury’s 26 totals of 68 or fewer runs, 20 of these predate 1950).
Swinging the ball early in a venomous opening combination with Logan van Beek (2/14 off 11 overs), tall, lean paceman Liam Dudding returned 4/23 off his 10 overs to gut the middle order as he continued to enjoy his first season with the capital, the rest of the four-prong Wellington attack all picking up a tidy brace each to end Canterbury’s catastrophic first innings in just 31.3 overs.
By stumps, the Firebirds were 163/4 in the second innings to hold a substantial 445-run overall lead already, their full set of eight first-innings bonus points putting them on course for a second successive full-pointer outright – unless Canterbury can hold on from a perilous position in their last innings.
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The Firebirds and Northern Districts were last season’s top two placegetters and the points table overall has a familiar look from last summer as ND bats itself into an advantageous position against the Auckland Aces at Kennards Hire Community Oval.
The teams are playing on a fresh strip after last week’s Central Stags record-breaking runfest at the same ground, but there’s already flashes of déjà vu for the Aces in the field – with Northern cruising to 288/2 by stumps, looking set to dwarf Auckland’s first innings total of 329.
Northern captain and part-time leg-spinner Jeet Raval picked up a career best 3/12 off his five overs in the last session yesterday, then contributed a knock of 63 today in a 140-run opening stand with Henry Cooper.
Cooper went on to a successive century stand for the second wicket of 131 with Bharat Popli, during which he posted his eight first-class century, before falling on 148 to spinner Louis Delport.
Popli wasn’t going anywhere before stumps, and will return tomorrow unbeaten on 60*, Northern trailing by just 41 runs with eight wickets still in hand.
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In Central Otago, teenage debutant Tom O’Connor picked up Curtis Heaphy as his maiden wicket as the Central Stags got into a spot of bother replying to the Otago Volts’ first innings of 390/7 declared, after the Volts had been sent in at Molyneux Park.
By stumps, a brisk, unbeaten 49* from incumbent allrounder Josh Clarkson had helped the Stags recover from the loss of Tom Bruce at 87/4 to 166/4, but the Stags will begin the third morning still 224 runs in arrears, with six first-innings wickets in hand.
There is a maximum of 20 points available to teams in each round, including 12 points for an outright win.
First innings points after Day Two of four
• First innings points are added to the online table only at the conclusion of a match
Wellington Firebirds 8 (completed)
Canterbury 3 (completed)
Northern Districts 6* (in progress)
Auckland Aces 3*(in progress)
Central Stags 2* (in progress)
Otago Volts 4* (in progress)
Points at a glance ahead of Round Six
(number of wins in brackets)
65 Northern Districts (3)
58 Wellington Firebirds (2)
57 Canterbury (2)
53 Central Stags (2)
36 Auckland Aces (1)
27 Otago Volts (0)
RECENT CHAMPIONS
2023/24 Wellington Firebirds
2022/23 Central Stags
2021/22 Auckland Aces
2020/21 Canterbury
2019/20 Wellington Firebirds
2018/19 Central Stags
2017/18 Central Stags
2016/17 Canterbury
2015/16 Auckland Aces
2014/15 Canterbury
2013/14 Canterbury
2012/13 Central Stags
2011/12 Northern Districts
2010/11 Canterbury
2009/10 Northern Districts
