All posts by h716a5.icu

Chennai Super Kings’ exceptional run of form has been built on the principle of unity, a theme also visible in the other team led by MS Dhoni

Nitin Sundar07-Apr-2011Big PictureChennai Super Kings’ exceptional run of form has been built on the principle of unity, a theme also visible in the other team led by MS Dhoni. While most sides used the 2011 auction as an opportunity to clean out the closet, Chennai focussed on minimising churn. The four best players were held back, and the franchise fought hard to repurchase the likes of R Ashwin, Doug Bollinger, Mike Hussey, Shadab Jakati and S Badrinath from the auction pool. With a solid bunch of performers at their disposal, and the added advantage of familiarity among their ranks, Chennai are primed for another good season.On-field success is only one half of Chennai’s story, though. Chennai is arguably the most successfully branded IPL franchises, with their PR campaign capturing the very essence of cricket on the streets and beaches of the city. Year after year, they come up with the most endearing promos, with everyone from Dhoni to Bollinger joining the Chennai layman in the chorus. The party will resume in full force at Chepauk when they stride out in their yellow jerseys on Friday.Key playersUntil famous bat-twirl after the winning six in the World Cup, the most enduring MS Dhoni image was the uppercut he landed on his own helmet after whacking Chennai into the 2010 IPL semi-finals. It was a rare show of emotion from a man who seldom loses his composure on the field. As wicketkeeper-captain, Dhoni is the team’s brains and the nerve-centre rolled into one. His perceptive use of R Ashwin with the new ball, and positioning of a very straight mid-off to snare Kieron Pollard in the 2010 final are now part of IPL folklore.Michael Hussey is an unusual choice at the top, yet Chennai’s decision to open with him ensures stability and a solid foundation for the muscular middle order to launch from. After a personally fulfilling Ashes, Hussey was laid low by a serious hamstring injury that kept him out of the initial stages of the World Cup. With Matthew Hayden missing in action this year, Hussey should face no hindrance in resuming his alliance with M Vijay at the top of the order. He will, however, join the party a little late after Australia’s one-day tour of Bangladesh.R Ashwin’s prowess with the new ball, bowling to fields that are pulled in, is based on his accuracy. He may not be able to bowl six different balls in an over, yet he can get each one of them to land them on the same spot, and get the odd one to surprise the batsman by going away. Having picked up the carom ball by watching Ajantha Mendis bowling in Chepauk before he became an international sensation, Ashwin has become as lethal in its use as the inventor himself. Ashwin’s biggest strength, though, is not his variety, but his reluctance to over-use it.Big name inChennai have picked wisely in including Nuwan Kulasekara and Tim Southee for the new season. Their bowling attack in past editions often included three spinners, but this time they have two high-quality seaming options to fall back on. Both Kulasekara and Southee rely on exemplary seam position, and while Southee’s stock ball is the outswinger, Kulasekara specialises in mixing legcutters with huge induckers. Bollinger and Morkel are likely to be the first-choice fast bowlers, but Southee and Kulasekara could come into the picture as the tournament wears on.Big name outTwenty20 was clearly not Muttiah Muralitharan’s format, yet he found a way to be effective, by going round the wicket and twirling his offspinners and doosras from the same spot around middle and off. He formed a formidable tweak-trio with Ashwin and Shadab Jakati, and Chennai – the team and the city – will miss his presence and personality, as much as his immense skills.Below the radarS Badrinath’s India days might be behind him, but year after year he turns in stellar middle-order performances for Chennai. Badrinath’s methods will not fill up the stands – his high elbow, straight bat and along-the-ground shots are incongruous in this format, but he is the kind of man Dhoni backs. Badrinath’s domestic record speaks of a man whose appetite for runs borders on gluttony. He provides the stability in a middle order that features attackers like Raina, Morkel and Dhoni himself. Expect more of those typically unsung, unnoticed but invaluable gems from Badrinath this season.Last three seasonsChennai have been the most consistent IPL team, having made the semi-finals in each edition of the tournament. Not once was their passage into the last four straightforward – at one point in the 2010 season, they were languishing at seventh in a field of eight teams – but each time they managed to find a game-breaking performance to see them through trouble. In 2008, they had the upperhand for most of the final against Rajasthan before losing off the last ball. Their 2009 campaign was halted at the semi-final stage by Bangalore, powered by a cool innings from Manish Pandey. Chennai were unstoppable at the business end of the 2010 edition, and easily trumped a nervous Mumbai in the final.

Wolverhampton Wanderers look set to retain the services of Francisco Trincao for the remainder of the season.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent claim made by Bruno Lage, with the Wolves manager suggesting in comments made to Birmingham Live that he expects the Barcelona loanee to remain at Molineux until at least the end of the current campaign.

Earlier reports had claimed that, following Xavi’s appointment as Ronald Koeman’s successor at Barcelona, the Spaniard wanted the 22-year-old to return to the Camp Nou ahead of the second half of the Spanish season.

However, with a matter of days now remaining in the January transfer window, and, at present, the LaLiga side having not acted upon Xavi’s apparent desire for the return of the Portugal international, it would seem as if Trincao will remain with Lage’s side beyond the end of the month.

Speaking about the future of the winger, the 45-year-old manager said: “I’m thinking about him until the end of the season.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Trincao has not exactly been in the most prolific form in front of goal this season, having so far failed to find the back of the net or provide a single assist over his 17 Premier League appearances, the fact that Barcelona look as if they will not be recalling the winger in January is nevertheless sure to leave Wolves fans buzzing.

Indeed, with Adama Traore being heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this month, the £19.8m-rated Trincao will undoubtedly be handed a much more prominent role in Lage’s first-team squad – should the Spaniard go on to seal his switch to Tottenham Hotspur.

While it is true that the £131k-per-week winger has featured regularly for Wolves since his move to the club last summer, only 12 of his total league outings have come as starts, while the 22-year-old has also completed 90 minutes of a Premier League match just once.

As such, with Traore out of the picture, Trincao will likely be handed a greater share of minutes in the Wolves side, something which should, in theory, see the forward begin to make his mark with both goals and assists for the club – something that will undoubtedly be an outcome both Lage and fans would love.

In other news: Wolves now eyeing late swoop for “special” £23.4m-rated beast, Lage would love him

Crystal Palace are among the Premier League clubs targeting Celtic teenager Mitchel Frame, The Daily Record’s Scott Burns has revealed. 

The lowdown

With a week of the January transfer window remaining, the Eagles have yet to execute any first-team business, either in or out of the club, but they have strengthened their youth ranks with a couple of additions.

Right winger Killian Phillips (19) has joined from League of Ireland outfit Drogheda United, while the Eagles have also snapped up 18-year-old goalkeeper Serine Sanneh, who was a free agent.

Frame, who will turn 16 on Tuesday, would also very much be one for the future at Selhurst Park.

The latest

According to The Daily Record, Palace could battle with their fierce rivals Brighton and Hove Albion for the signature of the Celtic teenager.

Fellow Premier League club Newcastle United are also said to be interested in a player who is ‘catching the eye in the Celtic youth squads’, as per this report.

The verdict

The Scotsman’s preferred position for now is left-back, but at his tender age, he may develop the capacity to play elsewhere over the coming years.

Tyrick Mitchell is only 22 and could potentially have the left-back spot at Selhurst Park tied down for the next decade. He is considered one of the first names on Patrick Vieira’s team sheet, having played all but eight minutes in the Premier League for the Eagles so far this season.

That’s why it might be advisable for Frame, and indeed any other left-backs who might come through the ranks at Palace, to add more strings to his bow.

Celtic could put up a fight, having already seen promising talents like Leo Hjelde, Liam Morrison and Josh Adam lured away in recent times, so the Eagles can expect a strong battle over the next week if they intend to win the transfer race for the Hoops’ 15-year-old prodigy.

In other news, some Palace fans were not happy with this man’s performance against Liverpool

After securing their place in the Europa League round of 16 stage after their midweek clash against German giants Borussia Dortmund, Rangers are back in SPFL action this weekend with a match against Motherwell at Ibrox. 

As the reigning league champions look to secure another domestic win, it seems as though they could have one player involved that would surely delight a lot of fans. 

What’s the news? 

Speaking in his recent pre-match press conference, Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst revealed that January arrival Aaron Ramsey was involved on the training pitch yesterday after missing their previous league game against Dundee United with a minor knock which ended up being serious enough to keep him out of their midweek match. 

The Dutchman said: “Ramsey was on the pitch today and we will see his progress.”

Since arriving at Ibrox during the recent winter transfer window from Italian club Juventus on loan until the end of the season, the Welshman has played just 29 minutes of SPFL action from two substitute appearances against Hearts and Hibernian. 

Whether the midfielder will be fit enough to start his first league game for the club or just make another appearance from the bench, the fans at Ibrox would surely be ecstatic to see him out on the pitch and hopefully, keep his fitness up for the remainder of the season so he can help the club secure the title once again. 

In 469 combined senior appearances for Arsenal, Juventus and Cardiff City, the midfield maestro has managed to rack up a total of 74 goals and 74 assists in the process as well as picking up numerous trophies, highlighting the attacking capabilities and top-level winning experience he can offer Rangers.

With four appearances in a Rangers shirt under his belt, the 31-year-old has already managed to pick up his first assist for the club which came during their 3-0 win over Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup.

Moving forward, unless the midfielder is 100% fit enough to start, it could be worth Van Bronckhorst keeping him on the bench from the start but bringing him on at some point to get some more minutes under his belt.

In other news:  Forget Tavernier: £6.4k-p/w Rangers tank with 75% duels won was real star of the show…

Andrew McDonald, the Australia allrounder, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with Leicestershire due to an ongoing shoulder problem

Cricinfo staff03-Aug-2010Andrew McDonald, the Australia allrounder, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season with Leicestershire due to an ongoing shoulder problem and he will return home shortly for treatment.McDonald has been struggling with the injury since last month’s Friends Provident t20 match against Nottinghamshire, at Trent Bridge, and was only able to play as a batsman in last week’s Championship game against Sussex.”The concern is that Andrew has already had two operations on the shoulder,” Tim Boon, the Leicestershire head coach, told the . “The surgeon in Australia has seen something on the scan of his shoulder and wants to see him back at home. We have to respect that request.”McDonald has been a useful signing for Leicestershire even though his time with the county has been cut short by IPL and Australia A commitments before this injury setback. In six Championship matches he has scored 442 runs at 44.20, including a career-best 176 not out, and taken 12 wickets at 26.66.

New Zealand were at the receiving end of another humiliation as a hapless batting performance sealed and their lowest score against India sealed a 0-5 whitewash, their first in a five-match series since 1984-85

The Bulletin by Siddhartha Talya10-Dec-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsOnly Brendon McCullum showed any intent, but Ashish Nehra nipped him out before he could inflict serious damage•AFPNew Zealand were at the receiving end of another humiliation as a hapless batting performance led to their lowest score against India and sealed a 0-5 whitewash. On a dry pitch susceptible to the influence of the overcast weather, New Zealand were keen to make the most of initially favourable batting conditions. But their edginess against pace at the start of the innings, and capitulation to spin later on, ensured their misery in ODIs continued.The pitch offered limited assistance to the bowlers and was not responsible for the domination that India showed; New Zealand’s inability to survive perhaps was. The seamers were crafty enough to make use of the hint of swing and movement available early on, the spinners, led by R Ashwin, varied their lengths, pace and worked the angles well to prove more than a handful against the middle and lower orders.Praveen Kumar’s control and Ashish Nehra’s quick recovery from a Brendon McCullum onslaught in his first over set up India. Praveen earned his prize straight away, beginning with three straight-ish deliveries before getting one to nip away and prompt a fatal poke from Martin Guptill. Nehra had a contrasting start, struggling for line and length, dragging one short to be dispatched over square leg and providing width to be slammed through the off side for two boundaries. McCullum’s aggressive posture, characterized by his advances down the wicket as well as moving well across to look for scoring opportunities, promised an entertaining counterattack. It caused his downfall instead, as he shuffled across to Nehra and was done in by the inswing to be caught on the pads, leaving New Zealand 14 for 2.Smart stats

This is the second time India have won an ODI series 5-0. The only previous instance was against England in 2008-09, when a seven-match series was curtailed to five due to the terrorist attack in Mumbai. India won each of those five games.

For New Zealand, it was their fourth 5-0 drubbing in a five-match series. Three of those four series defeats have happened since 2003.

New Zealand’s total of 103 is their lowest in a completed innings against India. It’s their second-lowest in India – they’d scored six runs fewer against Australia in Faridabad in 2003.

India won with 173 balls to spare, which is their fourth-highest in all ODIs and their best against New Zealand. For the visitors too, it’s the fourth-heaviest defeat in terms of balls remaining.

Over the five-match series, Indian batsmen averaged 56.95 runs per wicket, at a strike rate of 94.05 runs per 100 balls, and scored four hundreds. New Zealand averaged 24.38 at a strike rate of 80.43, and didn’t manage a single hundred.

Ashish Nehra became the 11th Indian bowler to take 150 ODI wickets.

The pitch largely behaved itself for the duration of the innings and the Indian bowlers, for their part, provided reasonable opportunities to ease the pressure. Ross Taylor looked confident, piercing the field with some delicious drives past mid-off, but his stay ended with an instinctive attempt at a pull against Nehra, and the ball scraped the glove on the way to Parthiv Patel. Jamie How appeared on course to lend some respectability to what’s been a miserable series with some lovely flicks off his pads and Scott Styris seemed determined to get the innings back on track, but the steadiness that they had painstakingly brought to the innings was obliterated by spin.The slow bowlers were expected to play a prominent role as the day wore on and it didn’t take long for Yuvraj Singh to step into the act. In the 17th over, after having built a stand of 43 with Styris, How tried to play across the line and was bowled as the ball straightened. Styris misread the length and played the sweep, almost as an afterthought, against Ashwin in the next over to be caught plumb. And Grant Elliott, included in the line-up to strengthen the batting, made no impact, failing to read the straighter one from Yuvraj to be lbw.Three wickets in three overs, and the departure of Daniel Vettori to a catch at slip not long after indicated New Zealand were in a hurry to finish the game even before the weather, overcast and ominous, was given a chance to intervene. Sure enough, Kyle Mills’ inability to read Ashwin’s carrom ball and Tim Southee’s gifting a catch to short leg marked a sorry end to a line-up that bats deep.The early wickets of the in-form Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli were the only consolation as New Zealand succumbed to a 0-5 battering, with their World Cup preparations in disarray following a bitter experience in two recent assignments in the subcontinent. India, for their part, have been boosted by the successful return of Yusuf Pathan and the consistency of Ashwin, while consecutive fifties from Parthiv Patel have further spiced up the selection race for the World Cup.

There are two ways to look at Andrew Strauss’s optional break from international cricket, which comes to an end when he leads the side out in the first Test against Bangladesh at Lord’s on Thursday

Andrew Miller at Lord's26-May-2010There are two ways to look at Andrew Strauss’s optional break from international cricket, which comes to an end when he leads the side out in the first Test against Bangladesh at Lord’s on Thursday. On the one hand, his decision has been vindicated by the remarkable success that the squad achieved in his absence – culminating, of course, in the ICC World Twenty20 victory in the Caribbean earlier this month.On the other hand, the serenity of the team’s progress since Strauss’s last appearance, in the fourth Test at Johannesburg back in January, raises uncomfortable questions about his actual importance to the side – or at least, may threaten to do so if he is slow to rediscover the form that helped haul the team out of the doldrums that he inherited at the start of his tenure in 2009. Such is the nature of international sport. Today’s men can become yesterday’s heroes with a haste that would be unseemly in any other walk of life.On the eve of his comeback, however, Strauss did not look like a man who feared that his authority had been ebbing in his absence – far from it. With a subtle emphasis on the bigger picture, namely the twin peaks of the Ashes and the 50-over World Cup in less than 12 months’ time, he set the agenda for a tough summer of momentum-building, while repeating the mantra first uttered after the victory over Australia last summer, that every new success is just another stepping stone towards the ultimate goal of becoming the best team in the world.”I’m incredibly excited to be among the group again, especially after what they achieved in the West Indies,” said Strauss. “There’s a real vibrancy and enthusiasm about things, and it’s great to be part of it again and start putting in place some of things I’ve been thinking about while I’ve been away, and speaking to Andy Flower about what he wants to implement. It’s an important summer for us, one we really need to get a lot of our thinking and planning right, and it all starts this week.”We’ve had quite a lot of success over the last 12 months, but we’re still No. 5 in the world in Test and ODI cricket, so it’s not all about slapping each other’s backs and telling everyone how brilliant it is,” said Strauss. “It’s about continuing to do what we’ve set out in the last 12 months – and there are clearly areas we need to improve on in Test cricket. There’s huge room for improvement, and we need to do that right now.”When Bangladesh last toured the country in the spring of 2005, they encountered an England side with a similarly ruthless agenda and were bundled aside by an innings in each of their two Tests. Strauss acknowledged that a repeat of those performances was expected in conditions that are likely to favour swing and seam bowling, but insisted that his players would be judged by more stringent criteria than mere scorecards.”You can’t underestimate Bangladesh,” he said. “They’ve got some very dangerous players, but in this series it’s important we concentrate on our own game and set our standards very high. Sometimes if the conditions aren’t in our favour it’ll be hard work against them, but we’ll be marking ourselves not on whether we win or lose, but how close we get to playing the type of cricket we want to play. If we do it, I’ve no doubt we’ll win the Tests.”For all his positivity, Strauss knows that the best way to restate his credentials is to lead from the front. “You always need a big score,” he said. “That’s the way it is in international cricket, but I don’t feel any extra pressure. As a captain, it helps if you’re scoring runs as you can lead by example more, and I’ll be making every effort to do that, but mentally, I’m very hungry and that’s a pretty good starting point.”Machiavellian conspiracy theorists might suggest that Strauss’s authority will be aided by the absence of Paul Collingwood, the man who captured the Twenty20 crown, and whose stock as a leader of men never looked higher than at the moment of victory over Australia in Barbados. He has been rested for the first Test on account of a shoulder problem, but Strauss dismissed the notion that the pair would have been treading on each other’s toes.”I don’t think it makes any difference,” he said. “Paul was always an important part of the decision-making process anyway. He’s one of leaders in the team, and a good friend. We’ve had a couple of good chats since he got back, and he’s always been an incredibly loyal source of advice. I don’t think that’ll change.”The reason I didn’t make myself available for the Twenty20s is probably the very reason they went on and won it,” he added. “The first six overs are so crucial, and it’s not a massive strength of mine to be whacking the ball straight over the bowler’s head, which is why I didn’t feel myself among the best 11 Twenty20 players in the country. I had no regrets at not being there, but I had a huge amount of enjoyment and satisfaction out of seeing them doing so well and playing that way.”He’ll be satisfied, too, at the manner in which many of England’s players have developed in his absence – not least Tim Bresnan, who was a fringe squad member at the turn of the year, but has suddenly become an integral figure in all three forms of the game. “He looks very confident, at ease with his game,” said Strauss. “He’s overcome an important hurdle in Test cricket, proving he can go and take wickets consistently on flat wickets. It’s been great to see him come through as he has capabilities with bat and ball.”And then there’s Alastair Cook, Strauss’s stand-in in Bangladesh, and a player whom he feels has benefited immeasurably from the responsibility of leadership. “There’s no doubt you learn a lot about yourself and the game of cricket when you have the chance to lead a side,” he said. “Alastair has learned a lot of lessons and has come back stronger for it. He will be a very valuable source of help and advice over the summer.”

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League defender turned BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Alan Hutton has reacted to a West Ham United transfer development involving Aston Villa forward Anwar El Ghazi.

The Lowdown: West Ham plotting bid…

As per Football Insider, El Ghazi is very much on the radar of Irons boss David Moyes and recruitment chief Rob Newman as they eye winter window additions.

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According to their information, West Ham are ‘plotting a January move’ for the 26-year-old as he struggles for consistent game time at Villa Park.

Moyes personally regards the Netherlands international as someone who can lead West Ham’s frontline through the middle despite being a natural wide player as they reportedly set their sights.

The Latest: Hutton reacts…

Reacting to this news, Hutton claims that he ‘ticks all the boxes’ as a ‘big’ powerhouse forward and is disappointed to see a player of his ‘quality’ potentially leaving the Midlands.

“Look, I really like Anwar. Not just as a guy but as a player, I think he ticks all the boxes,” the ex-Scotland international explained to FI.

“He’s a confidence player, someone that has to be playing week in, week out. You have to put your arm round him and you have to make him feel special.

“If you do that, you get the best out of them. I’ve seen it, I’ve obviously had to mark him at training. I’ve seen him there, and what he’s capable of.

“He’s a big, strong powerhouse, he can play that number nine position if he needs to, he can play out wide. A lot of managers want that versatility within a player.

“He definitely ticks all the boxes but it’s about getting the best out of him week in, week out. David Moyes has managed to do that with a lot of players.

“He seems to have the whole squad pulling in the one direction. If they can get someone like Anwar in and get the best out of him, that could be another shrewd buy.

“I don’t want to see players of that type of quality leaving Villa, I know what he’s capable of.

“But I think Villa are heavily loaded in the wide areas.”

The Verdict: Surprisingly good option?

Amid their links to Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa and Sparta Prague sensation Adam Hlozek, Villa’s winger actually doesn’t come as a bad option by comparison.

According to WhoScored, El Ghazi racked up ten goals in the Premier League last season whilst also averaging an impressive 2.3 shots at goal per 90.

By comparison to West Ham’s players this season, only Michail Antonio has racked up more attempts on average (2.8) – perhaps indicating El Ghazi could do a job as his understudy.

Given Villa want a permanent deal but could also listen to loan offers, securing him on a temporary deal until the end of this season posses little risk for West Ham and the board.

In other news: ‘Tears in my eyes’, ‘Finally’ – West Ham fans flock to ‘very exciting’ transfer news, find out more here.

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw has made a return to training following another injury layoff, according to reliable journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Forshaw out again

The 30-year-old has suffered a nightmare with injuries in recent years, missing almost two years of action after battling a serious hip issue. Thankfully, he has made a triumphant return to the team this season, although he has been absent with a hamstring problem in recent weeks.

With Leeds returning to action away to Aston Villa on 9 February, a positive update has emerged regarding the midfielder.

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The Latest: Forshaw back in training

According to Hay in an article for The Athletic, Forshaw is back in training at Leeds, having worked alongside his colleagues over the weekend.

The journalist revealed: “The last Sunday of the transfer window was a typical day at Leeds United: a late-morning session of murderball featuring the usual suspects. Adam Forshaw took part, testing his injured hamstring, but a search for new faces out on the grass drew a blank.”

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The Verdict: Hugely important figure

Forshaw is a valuable player as it is, but with Kalvin Phillips sidelined with a long-term hamstring injury, the 30-year-old is going to be crucial to Leeds in the coming weeks.

He has averaged an impressive 2.3 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, with only Stuart Dallas (2.9) enjoying a healthier tally among the Whites’ squad, and he has also played 0.9 key passes per match. This suggests that the ex-Middlesbrough man is a well-rounded midfielder who is adept at winning the ball and then using it to good effect.

It is vital for Leeds that Forshaw stays fit prior to Phillips’ potential return, or else the club’s failure to bring in a midfielder in January could look foolish.

In other news, an important update regarding Raphinha’s Leeds future has emerged. Read more here.

Luke Woodcock starred in Wellington’s first win of the competition, while Auckland and Otago both picked up their second victories

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2011A flurry of wickets in the middle overs and then again towards the end saw Northern Districts fall six runs short of Wellington’s total at the Cobham Oval in Whangarei. Chasing 244, ND reached 111 for 2 with BJ Watling and Scott Styris both having completed half-centuries, but their runs had come slowly with Watling striking at just 57.54. They paid for their poor run-rate as left-arm spinner Luke Woodcock took three quick wickets, removing Watling, Brad Wilson and wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan, and Jeetan Patel dismissed Stryis, leaving ND in trouble at 139 for 6 with less than 13 overs remaining.Captain James Marshall almost rescued them with his 68 off 48 balls, but he was out to Grant Elliott, leaving ND with 17 to win off two overs with two wickets remaining. Seamer Mark Gillespie and Elliott held their nerve in the last two and took a wicket each to complete Wellington’s first win in the competition. Wellington had reached a competitive total thanks to half-centuries from Woodcock, Stewart Rhodes and Neal Parlane. Woodcock’s 50 came off 49 balls and gave Wellington the momentum they needed towards the end of their innings.

Lou Vincent led Auckland to victory against Canterbury at the Village Green in Christchurch, with his unbeaten 159 off 157 balls. Vincent and Jeet Raval, who smashed 42 off just 28 balls, got Auckland off to a flier in their chase of 296. Vincent kept the momentum going even as four quick wickets fell at the other end, and then found an able partner in Colin Munro, who got 62 off 71. Auckland won by six wickets with 14 balls still remaining in the end. Canterbury had scored slowly in the first half of their innings with opener Rob Nicol taking 127 balls to score 81, but they got 75 runs off the last five overs thanks to Andrew Ellis’ 61 off 30 balls and Tom Latham’s 28 off 14 balls. Auckland are now top of the table with eight points.

Five wickets from Nathan McCullum helped Otago defend 232 against Central Districts at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North and go joint-top of the table with Auckland and Northern Districts. Several of Otago’s batsmen got starts, but only Darren Broom carried on to make a half-century, scoring 63 off 79 balls. McCullum also made an important contribution with the bat, scoring 33 and Neil Wagner hit two sixes in the nine balls he faced at the end. CD got off to a solid start in their chase, reaching 87 for 2. But McCullum, who had already dismissed both openers, took three quick wickets, and Jamie How was run out to leave CD reeling at 104 for 6. A 40-run partnership between Kruger van Wyk and Tarun Nethula put CD back in contention, but seamer Craig Smith came back to take the last three wickets and give Otago a 43-run victory. Smith finished with figures of 3 for 36, while McCullum took 5 for 39.