New Zealand Domestic Cricket Update – November 22nd, 2011
Central Districts (CD) were leading by 206 runs against Canterbury with seven second innings wickets in hand at the close of play on day three of a Plunket Shield match at the Mainpower Oval, Rangiora, on November 22, 2011.
Canterbury won the toss and elected to bowl first; however, the wicketkeeper/batsman, Kruger van Wyk, spoiled their party and scored a magnificent hundred to help his team post a competitive score of 307 runs before being bowled out on day one.
Andrew Ellis was the pick of the bowlers for Canterbury as he claimed four crucial scalps to help his team’s cause.
There was no play possible on the second day because of rain and it forced the Canterbury batsmen to score their runs quickly as they helped their team post 251 runs for the loss of six wickets before they decided to declare the innings. It was a bold move,
considering the fact that they were still trailing 56 runs in the first innings.
Peter Fulton and Andrew Ellis scored important half-centuries to make sure that they are in a position to declare the innings.
In reply, CD had scored 150 runs for the loss of three wickets by the close of play on day three. Now they are leading by 206 runs and looks like the match is running towards a draw, unless Canterbury comes up with something special tomorrow.
On the other hand, there was a similar kind of a situation in the match between Auckland and Wellington as a draw looks like the most likely result. The match has been heavily dominated by the batsmen as Tim McIntosh of Auckland and Luke Woodcock of Wellington
scored tons.
At the close of play on day three, Auckland was leading by 167 runs with eight second innings wickets in hand. It remains to be seen that the bowlers are able to make an impression on the last day of the match; otherwise this encounter is going to finish
as a draw.
Historically, New Zealand has been famous of producing bowling friendly pitches, but the situation seems to have changed as the batsmen are dominating the proceedings in the on-going domestic competitions in the country.