CD spin shuts ND out by 100 runs in Hamilton

Central Districts beat Northern Districts by 100 runs at Westpac Park in Hamilton to go to second in the State Shield table with four rounds to play.

A batting collapse, spectacular even by the standards of this New Zealand season, saw ND subside from 102 for four to 130 all out against some high-class off-spin bowling.

Campbell Furlong took three for 24 and Glen Sulzberger two for 27. In partnership they mesmerised the ND batsmen with accurate, subtle bowling that exploited helpful conditions to the full.

The pitch could not be blamed for two bad calls that accounted for the run outs of key batsmen Michael Parlane and Joseph Yovich, an indication of the current jittery nature of the ND batting.

The spinners were well supported by the quicker bowlers. Andrew Schwass dismissed James Marshall leg before wicket with the second ball of the innings, while three of Lance Hamilton's six overs were maidens. The left-armer was unlucky to go wicketless as he consistently beat batsmen outside off stump.

A 37-ball half century from Daniel Vettori was the only batting performance of any value from ND. It was Vettori's second successive fifty at the top of the ND order. Had he not gained a regular place in international cricket so young, Vettori would surely have developed into a genuine all-rounder.

CD's total of 230 for eight, after ND won the toss, was always going to be challenging on a pitch that offered turn and from which the ball did not come on to the bat in a way that made playing shots easy. Yet the target did not live up to the expectations created by a scoring rate of six an over up to the first drinks interval.

Craig Spearman was relegated to the unaccustomed role of support player as his opening partner Jesse Ryder took toll of some loose bowling by the ND pace attack of Yovich and Ian Butler. Seventeen came from Butler's first over back in the game after a lengthy injury break.

After Ryder was leg before wicket to Graeme Aldridge for 26, it was up to Spearman to maintain the momentum. He reached his third fifty of the State Shield season, but was never his usual destructive self. Scott Styris fooled Spearman with a slower ball in his first over, inducing an easy catch for Matthew Hart at short mid-wicket.

Thereafter scoring was always hard work against some probing and intelligent bowling. Styris took one for 26 from his 10 overs. He is the most consistent all-rounder in New Zealand and his bowling could have much to offer even in South Africa's contrasting conditions.

It was the slow left-arm combination of Vettori and Hart that turned the screws on CD in the middle of the innings. Vettori demonstrated that international inactivity has not damaged his bowling with one for 23. Hart was not outshone by his illustrious partner, with one for 26.

Sulzberger marshalled the second half of the CD innings with 51, but nobody else showed similar stickability. The opening partnership of 46 was the biggest of the innings.

CD coach Mark Greatbatch told CricInfo that he had not expected victory to come so easily and expressed satisfaction with an improved batting performance.

"Even though it was slow we got some partnerships going and held it together," he said. "We wanted to be 180 to 190 for four or five after 40 overs. In fact we were 159 for four, but had a good last 10 overs, so we were reasonably happy with 230."

Greatbatch said that the performance of spinners Sulzberger and Furlong was consistent with that in earlier games.

"They have bowled very well in that part of the innings all season. They create pressure that creates mistakes," he said. "There was also some exceptional catching and two very good run outs."

With three of the remaining four games at home, CD are well-placed to finish strongly.

Greatbatch identified Sunday's game against Auckland at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth as being of particular significance, with the defeat against Otago at the same ground still fresh in the mind. CD lost 10 wickets for 85 to lose by nine runs.

He said that concentrating on the basics would be the key to success. "One-day cricket is no different to four-day cricket, but is played at a slightly faster pace. We had six or seven guys contributing today and we got a win."

ND travel south to face Otago knowing that a radical improvement in batting is essential if they are to progress to the knock-out stages.