Victory and a bonus point for Northern Districts

There could not have been a greater contrast between the two Shell Shield games played at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth over the last three days.

On Wednesday, Auckland won a game in which 520 runs were scored. Today - on the same pitch - Northern Districts not only successfully defended a total of 134, but won a bonus point by bowling out Central Districts for only 105.

What had changed? ND coach Bruce Blair provided a partial explanation when he spoke to CricInfo at the end of the game. "The pitch dried out and lost a lot of its pace. If bowlers bowled straight, with subtle changes of pace, it was going to be difficult to score."

There was also turn, with spinners claiming eight of the wickets, but the state of the pitch was by no means completely to blame. The bowlers of both teams have out-performed the batsmen in one-day cricket this season and continued to do so today.

ND won the toss and chose to bat after an 80-minute delay caused by yet more rain in this sodden New Zealand summer.

At first, things progressed normally, with Simon Doull setting about the opening attack with gusto, achieving an improvement in a strike rate that was already the best in the competition. He hit 35 from 20 deliveries, including four fours and two sixes, cover driven and pulled onto Pukekura Park's temple-like terraces.

As Doull was not one of the six bowlers later called upon by ND, his transformation from opening bowler to opening batsman appears complete, in the one-day game, at least.

At 64/2 after 18 overs things were progressing as expected, if a little slowly. James Marshall's innings of 15 from 62 balls gave the first indication that scoring would be tricky. So it proved. Doull apart, only four boundaries were hit in the ND innings.

The last seven wickets fell for only 33 runs, an unspectacular but defiant 42 from Matthew Hart the only thing that held ND together. Apart from Lance Hamilton, who copped it from Doull early on, all the CD bowlers performed at their best, with Michael Mason (7.3-3-21-3) and Campbell Furlong (10-2-23-3) having the most impressive figures. Bevan Griggs took five catches behind the stumps.

Between innings CD could have been forgiven if their thoughts were of a bonus point to propel them off the bottom of the table. But ND, and in particular Blair, had not given up hope.

"I gave us a fighting chance if we could pressure on with good bowling and if we had some luck." Such a view appeared fanciful at the start of the innings, but became realistic within the first few overs of the CD innings.

Things got off to the worst possible start for CD in general and Jamie How in particular. Responding to David Kelly's call, How was beaten by a direct hit from Marshall at cover from the first ball, out without facing. It was a risk that need not have been taken chasing such a small total.

The two key batsmen, Mathew Sinclair and Ben Smith were dismissed with the score barely in double figures and that, effectively, was that. Kelly, Griggs and Richard King all resisted to some extent and Schwass swatted optimistically, hitting Grant Bradburn onto the third terrace, but lack of confidence and suspicion of the pitch spread through the CD batting fatally.

In any conversation with a coach these days the word 'pressure' will be used soon and often. The ND attack gave a textbook demonstration of it. The pace triumvirate of Daryl Tuffey, Joseph Yovich and Graeme Aldridge all maintained a disciplined line and length, offering few easy runs.

Bradburn offered his usual control, disproving those who say that he is a spinner who does not turn the ball. But the star of the ND attack was slow left-armer Hart, who finished with domestic career-best one-day figures of 7-2-7-4.

Hart's career appeared to be drifting away a year or so ago, but now he is back as a key performer with bat and ball. Blair paid tribute.

"Matthew is a terrific cricketer. He bats in the top three or four and is capable of bowling 10 tight overs. In recent years his bowling has not been used as often as it might have been, but we always saw a role for him as a bowler this season."

The five points gathered here consolidates ND's second place in the State Shield table. Can they challenge Wellington for the right to stage the final? Blair thinks so.

"We have to keep playing positive cricket and to deliver our batting game plans, which we didn't do today."

The defeat effectively ends CD's hopes of defending their one-day title. They host Wellington at Waikanae on Sunday, while ND are at home to Otago in Hamilton.