Canterbury skipper is unbeaten overnight as monster total looms in Nelson
It’s his first match as captain of his team, he’s only played eight first-class matches before, but no one could argue that 22-year-old Rhys Mariu isn’t leading from the front.
Standing in for regular skipper Cole McConchie whose wife is expecting twins, the young opening batter batted through all three sessions of the second day’s play at Saxton Oval today to go to stumps on 212 not out.
It’s the first double century in the Plunket Shield championship since Auckland Ace Sean Solia’s career best last season, and has Canterbury sitting pretty on 393/4 in Stoke – after a wind-whipped, warm day on which the Central Stags laboured for breakthroughs.
Young debutant Tyler Annand picked up his first two first-class wickets for the hosts, but it was Canterbury’s day all-round as Matt Boyle reached his maiden first-class century – against his brother Jack’s team.
Boyle combined with Mariu for a 258-run third wicket partnership, a record in 74 years between these two teams.
Canterbury now holds a 191-run first-innings overnight lead with six wickets in hand, in position to call the shots from here and with all four batting points in the bank, while the Stags have one bowling point and tired bodies heading into the third morning.
Central Stags v Canterbury scores
At Seddon Park, Northern Districts paceman Scott Kuggeleijn’s 13th first-five-wicket bag (11th for ND, having also taken one each for the Wellington Firebirds and New Zealand A) was the highlight of a weather-shortened day that saw the Auckland Aces bowled out for just 150 in 53.4 overs.
Kuggeleijn chalked up a destructive 5/43 and that meant the Aces had conceded a 118-run first-innings lead to Northern – who added a further 61 runs for no loss in their second innings before play was called for the day.
ND took the full four bowling points from their first innings while the Aces miss out on any batting bonuses, Simon Keene top-scoring down the order for the visitors with 60.
Northern Districts v Auckland Aces scores
In Dunedin, Wellington Firebirds captain Nick Kelly began the day unbeaten on 154*, and reached 161 before Travis Muller finally had him caught at 350/9.
The Firebirds’ first innings account was closed soon after, at 357, and it was the Volts’ turn for a bat on their home turf.
By stumps, after a rain-interrupted, stop-start afternoon, they had picked off almost half of the first-innings deficit at 173/5, trailing by 184 heading into the third morning.
Dale Phillips will resume unbeaten on 86*, his side needing a further 27 runs for their first batting bonus while the Firebirds can add two bowling points, so far, to their kitty of four batting points.
Play in all matches is scheduled to resume at 10.30am.
