Wellington poised for trophy

Press, 31 January 1983, Page 30

Wellington poised for trophy

PA Auckland Wellington could virtually

wrap up the Shell Trophy competition at Eden Park today with a positive approach to the last day of their cricket match against Auckland.

After slow play yesterday, the Auckland skipper, John Reid, said that there were 12 points for the taking if the competition leaders approached the last six hours in the right frame of mind. , At stumps yesterday, Wellington, 14 runs ahead' on the first innings, had increased that advantage by a further 114 with eight second innings wickets in hand. ' Auckland . had ' earlier failed to bat well and then bowled without conviction. The Auckland innings was

a mixture of excellent and pathetic batting. The last seven wickets fell for 22 runs. Trevor Franklin, 46 overnight, needed only one shot to reach his half-century yesterday. Reid's batting blues continued, as Auckland slumped to 89 for three. Martin Crowe joined Cushen who, taking his nightwatchman role seriously, offered every support as Crowe played himself in and then unleashed some majestic shots to score his third century of the season and his first on the main Eden Park oval. It took Cushen 43 minutes to progress from six to seven and, later, 45 minutes to get from nine to 10.

Crowe needed 85 minutes and. 99 balls to reach his half-century and 72 minutes and 69 balls to reach 100. In an amazing over, with the new ball, Tony Pigott had Crowe caught’by Tim Ritchie at mid on. Alan Hunt watched the third ball sail by and was then trapped, leg before. John Bracewell pushed forward to the fifth ball and Ross Ormiston dived forward to scoop up a catch. Paul Kelly avoided the hat-trick when he played and missed at the last ball of the over, which changed the course of the match and may have assured Wellington of the Shell Trophy. WELLINGTON First innings R. Vance b Tracv 14

J. Beyle b Cushen 0 P. Holland c Hunt b Tracy 45 R. Ormiston c Hunt b Bracewell 45 E. Gray c Kelly b Mclntyre. 45 T. Ritchie c and b Bracewell 8 E. McSweeney c Crowe b Bracewell ......... 27 B. Cederwall c Reid b Stott . 20 T. Pigott lbw b Stott .... 21 S. Maguiness c Tracy b Stott 0 B. Rule not out 4 Extras (b 3. Ibs. nbl). ... 9 Total- 238 Fall: 5, 38. 95, 125, 137, 169, 201, 230, 230. Bowling: S. Tracy 17. 3. 66. 2; J. Cushen 21, 11, 26. 1; J. Bracewell 32, 7, 97. 3; W. Stott 9.3. 4. 16, 3: J. Mclntvre 18. 8. 21. -1; J. Reid 1. 0. 3. o.' Second innings Boyle c Hunt b Stott. . . . 26 Vance c Mclntyre b Bracewell . . . . ’ 31 Holland not out 25 Ormiston not out 21 Extras b 6. Ib3. nb2) ..... 11 Total (for 2 wickets) 114 Fall: 58. 70. Bowling.— Tracv 9, 3. 34, 0: Cushen 3, 1. 7. 0; Stott 11. 4. 22. 1: Bracewell 18. 8. 24. 1; Mclntvre 10. 9. 1. 0; Hunt 2. 0. 5.' 0; Franklin 3,1, 10. 0: Reid 1.1. 0. 0. AUCKLAND First innings T. Franklin c Cederwall. b Gray 50 M. Greatbatch b Gray. ... 28 J. Cushen not out 30 J. Reid c Ritchie b Maguniess 1 M. Crowe c Ritchie b Pigott. 100 A. Hunt lbw b Pigott 0 J. Bracewell c Ormiston b Pigott 0 P.Kelly c Holland b Pigott. 0 J. .Mclntyre lbw b Gray . . 1 W. Stott st McSweeney b Gray ’. . . 2 S. Tracey run out. 5 Extras (lbs. nbl. wl) ... 7 Total 224 Fall: 77. 86, 89. 202. 202. 204. 205, 209. Bowling.- T. Pigott 19. 7, 38. 4; B. Rule 3. 0. 16. 0; E. Gray 50.5. 20, 100. 4; S. Maguiness 20. 9. 34. 1; P. Holland 8. 1, 17. 0: B. Cederwall 9. 5. 12. 0.