Firebirds hit back after a poor start

Wellington cricket captain Matthew Bell was advised to bat first in his team's Plunket Shield cricket match against Otago in Queenstown yesterday.

He did as suggested after winning the toss and all of one ball later Bell was heading back towards the pavilion at Queenstown Events Centre after shouldering arms to left-arm seamer Neil Wagner.

His leg before wicket dismissal may have given Bell immediate cause to rue his decision, but his batting colleagues helped erase any misgivings as Wellington worked hard to reach 256-4 by stumps in the first day of the four- day match, with debutant Stewart Rhodes making an impression.

Rhodes marked his first match at this level by scoring 64 not out, putting on an unbroken stand of 92 for the fifth wicket with Luke Woodcock, who made an unbeaten 34, to complement another impressive innings from young opener Josh Brodie.

Left-hander Brodie occupied the crease for a touch over four hours in reaching 76 before becoming Wagner's second victim when caught by wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder.

Rhodes was also watchful, spending 189 minutes in the middle, firstly with Brodie in a partnership worth 131 runs, then in unison with Woodcock as Wellington put in a solid day's work.

The Otago bowlers were all made to toil hard for any success, with Wagner the best with his 2-55.

In Rangiora, Canterbury medium pacer Leighton Burtt produced a four-wicket burst to help restrict Central Districts to 305-9 on the first day of their Plunket Shield match. Central were at a comfortable 256-4 after they lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

But Central lost their next four wickets for 28 runs as Burtt struck to remove potential middle order threats from Tim Weston, George Worker, Bevan Griggs and Ewen Thompson.

Openers Peter Ingram and Jamie How gave Central a good start, putting on 69 for the first wicket before Ingram, on 41, feathered an Andy Ellis ball into the gloves of Kruger van Wyk.

How and Brad Patton combined for a fruitful 92-run partnership for the second wicket, with How the aggressor. Patton fell for 19 after Brandon Hiini knocked his stumps over.

How fell the next over for 90, becoming Ellis' second scalp of the innings. How, who batted three hours and 15 minutes, hit seven fours while facing 142 balls on his way to his 25th first-class half century.

Sinclair, with 50, and Weston, 37, took the score to 256 before Weston departed - followed 10 runs later by Sinclair who became young medium pacer Ryan McCone's first victim in first class cricket in his second match. It was Sinclair's 58th first class 50.

Central resume today with Doug Bracewell on 18 and Michael Mason yet to score.

Meanwhile at Auckland, the match between Auckland and Northern Districts stalled on a weather affected day. Only 39.1 overs could be sent down on a day when almost five hours of play was lost because of rain.

At close of play, Auckland were 82 without loss and resume today with Brad Wilson on 40 and BJ Watling on 36.

- NZPA

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