Painful end to season for Josh Brodie

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History repeated in painful fashion for young Wellington opener Josh Brodie yesterday when his Plunket Shield season was ended by an Andy McKay thunderbolt.

A distraught Brodie was told he would be sidelined for six to eight weeks after his left index finger was broken by a short delivery from fast bowler McKay at net practice.

It was a broken bone in the same finger that ended Brodie's season at a similar stage last year as he was pushing for higher honours.

The 23-year-old also missed four one-day matches this summer with a shoulder injury suffered while diving in the field. One of the country's more promising openers, Brodie scored 217 from eight Plunket Shield innings at 27.12 but hadn't yet passed 50 after some solid starts.

No replacement for Monday's sixth round match against Northern Districts in Whangarei had been announced last night. Cameron Merchant was dropped this week after scoring 100 runs at 12.50, so the selectors could hand him a reprieve or plump for a form runner from today's round of club cricket.

Wellington travel to Whangarei tomorrow three competition points better off, after New Zealand Cricket awarded the Firebirds and Canterbury three points each from their abandoned fifth round match, scheduled for last week at the Basin Reserve.

It was originally postponed after the Christchurch earthquake, then cancelled as all round six matches were pushed back until Monday to allow Canterbury more time to prepare.

Cricket Wellington boss Gavin Larsen and the five other major association chief executives had a telephone hookup yesterday with NZC boss Justin Vaughan and operations manager Tim Murdoch, who explained NZC's decision.

"To divide the eight points in half was probably just a bridge too far, but two points each would have probably undersold Canterbury and Wellington," Larsen said.

"So to arrive at three points each, I think that's fair and reasonable and that was the guiding principle they worked with."

Two points are awarded for first innings victories, with another six for an outright.

Wellington coach Anthony Stuart said this week that four points each was the fairest solution, but other sides who have played out draws in recent weeks may have disagreed.

Larsen insisted the three-point solution had unanimous support. "The immediate reaction from the six majors, including us, was one of acceptance. I had in my mind that three [points] would be a good, solid outcome."

The difficulty for NZC was there was no precedent in New Zealand domestic cricket for first-class matches called off by an "act of God". Murdoch looked at potential examples from around the world but there were no direct comparisons.

"It was really uncharted waters so it became a bit subjective," Larsen said.

It leaves Wellington still fifth on the ladder, heading into their match against second-placed Northern.

With five rounds remaining, Central Districts (26) have an eight-point lead over a logjam of sides: Northern (18), Canterbury (15), Otago (14) and Wellington (13), with a distance to Auckland (2).

Before Brodie's injury yesterday, Wellington confirmed their 12 with a solitary change from their five-wicket win over Auckland nearly a fortnight ago. Captain Grant Elliott returns after missing the victory, Wellington's first in 15 months, due to illness.

HOW THEY LINE UP

What: Plunket Shield, round six
Where: Cobham Oval, Whangarei
When: 10.30am, Monday-Thursday

Wellington: Grant Elliott (captain), Stephen Murdoch, Neal Parlane, Michael Pollard, Stewart Rhodes, Joe Austin-Smellie, Jeetan Patel, Malaesaili Tugaga, Mark Gillespie, Andy McKay, Andrew Lamb, one to be added

Northern Districts: James Marshall (captain), Brad Wilson, BJ Watling, Daniel Flynn, Hamish Marshall, Peter McGlashan, Jono Boult, Graeme Aldridge, Trent Boult, Brent Arnel, Andrew Mathieson, Jason Donnelly

- © Fairfax NZ News