Northern Districts finish off Auckland

Northern Districts crushed Auckland by 10 wickets with a day to spare in their Plunket Shield four-day cricket fixture at Whangarei with teenager Kane Williamson playing a starring role.

Williamson, resuming on his overnight score of 163, was dismissed eight runs short of a double century but showed his prowess as an allrounder when he claimed three wickets with his off-spin as well as taking a catch in Auckland's second innings.

Replying to Auckland's first innings of 227, Northern Districts posted 410 today, a lead of 183.

Peter McGlashan, resuming on 25, and Williamson put on 109 for the eighth wicket before the 19-year-old was bowled by Colin de Grandhomme on 192.

In all he struck 22 fours and two sixes in a stay lasting over seven hours.

It was the third partnership that harvested over a 100 runs involving Williamson - he put on 123 with Hamish Marshall for the fourth wicket and 101 with James Marshall for the sixth yesterday.

The former national under-19 captain then displayed his wares as a bowler, capturing the wickets of New Zealand test opener Tim McIntosh with Daniel Flynn taking a smart catch at slip.

Williamson came back later to add lower order batsmen Gareth Shaw and Tarun Nethula to his bag, but took some tap from Michael Bates to end with figure of three for 48 off 10 overs.

Bates proved to be a stumbling block to Northern's hopes of an innings victory when he lashed out to score 57 off 25 balls, smashing six boundaries and four sixes.

His 57-run stand for the 10th wicket with Dean Bartlett saw Auckland reach 188 and force Northern Districts to bat again, needing six runs for the win.

Bates' cavalier innings was ended when he was brilliantly caught by Hamish Marshall in the slips off Bruce Martin.

Brent Arnel, four for 19 and Martin, two for 55 were the other leading Northern bowlers.

BJ Watling, on five, and Brad Wilson, four, secured the win for Northern which leaves them on top of the table on 44 points . The defeat sees defending champions Auckland planted firmly at the bottom having just one win from eight matches.

- NZPA