Central Districts and Wellington have edged closer to outright victories in the opening round of cricket’s Plunket Shield.
Central lead Otago by 153 runs at stumps on day two at Napier’s McLean Park on Tuesday, needing eight more second-innings wickets for an outright innings win.
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The Firebirds currently trail Auckland by 85 runs at Wellington’s Basin Reserve but quick wickets on day three would see them chasing a small fourth-innings total for the win.
NZ-born Netherlands international Logan van Beek is almost single-handedly willing Wellington to victory, following his five-wicket bag on day one with his second first-class century on day two.
Van Beek scored 101 runs from 162 balls, including 12 fours and three sixes, as Wellington reached 270 in their first innings, a lead of 86. He and Peter Younghusband (65 from 112, including 10 fours) put on 123 runs for the seventh wicket.
At stumps, the Aces were 171-6 after Finn Allen (49 from 29, including 10 fours) just missed a half-century and Will O'Donnell was 52 not out. Liam Dudding and Michael Snedden each took two wickets.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Dane Cleaver helped rescue Central against the Volts, with his eighth first-class century, at 151 not out when the hosts declared their first innings at 359-9, with a lead of 156 runs.
Cleaver, who struck 11 fours and three sixes, put on 81 runs with Jayden Lennox (35 from 115) for the fifth wicket, 90 with Will Clark (41 from 67) for the sixth wicket and 70 with Brett Randell (40 from 80) for the ninth wicket.
In the five overs before the end of play, Lennox and Brad Schmulian managed to remove Thorn Parkes and Travis Muller, both for ducks. Otago will resume at 3-2 with an uphill battle.
In the other match, at Christchurch's Hagley Oval, Northern Districts ended day two at 291-8 in reply to Canterbury's 361-9 declared.
Sandeep Patel (56 from 92) and Brett Hampton (50 from 84) both scored half-centuries and combined for 70 runs for the fifth wicket, while opener Jeet Raval (45 from 110) just missed out.
Gus McKenzie, Michael Rae and Black Cap Daryl Mitchell all took two wickets to keep Canterbury in a strong position.