Hart and Smith set the tone

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 56

Hart and Smith set the tone

PA Auckland Central Districts, asked to bat first in the Shell Trophy game against Auckland at Eden Park yesterday, were 274 for seven wickets at stumps. The openers, Ronnie Hart and John Smith, set the tone for the day by grinding out a 112-run opening stand. Auckland’s captain Peter Webb, who had won his third successive toss, saw the pitch flatten during the day. Gary Troup and the fast Brian Barrett were the most accurate Auckland bowlers, but the Central batsmen did not take a great toll of some of the loose deliveries. Hart and Smith scored mostly from glances and nudges. Morrison, in a five-over spell after lunch, captured three wickets for nine runs. Hart chipped the ball to Troup at square leg, Morrison’s off-cutter surprised

the dogged Smith in front of his stumps, and Tony Blain, in trying to hook, gave the wicketkeeper, Paul Kelly, a catch. Thus, from 112 for none, Central had fallen to 129 for 3. Central’s captain, Richard Hayward, made 49 before being out lbw to a Barrett in-swinger. CENTRAL DISTRICTS First Innings R. Hart c Troup b Morrison 56 J. Smith lbw b Morrison. 41 S. Briasco run out 39 T. Blain c Kelly b Morrison 6 R. Hayward lbw b Barrett. 49 D. Guthardt c Greatbatch b Patel 17 D. Stirling not out 34 G. Robertson c Kelly b Troup 3 G. Walton not out 6 Extras (lbs, nbl8) 23 Total (for 7 wkts) 274 Fall: 112, 115, 129, 182, 224, 258, 267. Bowling: G. Troup 19, 5, 40, 1 (nb4); B. Barrett 17, 5, 36, 1 (nbl); D. Morrison 20, 2, 68, 3 (nbl2); W. Watson 15, 4, 52, 0 (nbl); D. Patel 27, 9, 54, 1; A. Hunt 10, 4, 19, 0.