Canterbury make best use of damp conditions

Canterbury set the early pace in their reduced opening day of their State Championship match against the Auckland at the Village Green in Christchurch today.

At stumps, Canterbury had the North Islanders 127 for five.

Day one of the ninth-round game got off to a wet start. Intermittent showers, which began in the early hours of this morning, delayed play until 2pm, reducing play to 64 overs.

Canterbury won the toss, with captain Gary Stead electing to bowl. Auckland Rob Lynch was named twelfth man, as was Aaron Redmond for Canterbury.

In a rare sight, Wade Cornelius opened the bowling for Canterbury with older brother Cleighten. Opening batsmen Tim McIntosh and Reece Young got Auckland off to a slow start in difficult batting conditions, with a damp outfield and gusty southerly breezes.

Cleighten, on debut, struck early for the Cantabs. In the second over, he secured the first wicket of his first-class career when he had Young caught for eight off a leading edge to Peter Fulton at first slip.

McIntosh was then joined at the crease by Nick Horsley, who stuck around to face 20 balls, until wicket-keeper Gareth Hopkins caught him behind for 14, again off Cleighten Cornelius.

Llorne Howell came in to take over the strike, and Auckland had 50 runs on the board shortly after, in the 20th over.

However, just as the pair were developing their 32-run partnership, McIntosh's luck ran out. The left-hander padded up to the ball and was given out for 17, securing Cleighten Cornelius his third wicket.

Howell was dropped not long after, but eventually nicked a ball that lobbed into the air and was caught by Robbie Frew at short leg.

By teatime, Canterbury had Auckland four down for 78.

Tama Canning looked set to up the low run rate for Auckland, and was on the board after pummeling a four down the ground. His luck was short-lived however, when he was caught by Stead in gully off the bowling of Fulton in the 45th over.

Auckland continued to score very slowly to try to preserve further fall of wickets. They brought up the hundred in the 48th over, but relied on two young players to better their total, and scored at a rate of just over two runs per over all day.

Ryan Burson moved the ball around into the right-handers and finished with an economical one for 33 off 19 overs.

Cleighten Cornelius was pick of the bowlers with final figures of three wickets off 19 overs for 39 runs, including seven maidens. Brother Wade bowled two maidens, with 25 runs hit off his 13.

Cleighten, who was only called into the side after club cricket on Saturday, was pleased with his debut performance. "It was hard at the start bowling into the wind, with the ball moving around a lot, but later I changed ends and settled into a better rhythm."

He said he felt as though he was denied wickets when he bowled his best, but could not fault the whole performance. "If we were 127 for five at the end of the day, we would be very unhappy."

Canterbury got through the scheduled 62 overs for the day by six o'clock, but continued play for a further two overs, due to the earlier wet and overcast conditions clearing to a fine evening.

At stumps Rob Nicol was not out 36 and debutant Bradley Nielsen unbeaten on nine.