Otago all out for 88 as Arnel stars 

Source: PhotosportBrent Arnel

Fast bowler Brent Arnel starred with the ball as Northern Districts took less than a day to secure first innings points in their Plunket Shield four-day cricket match against Otago at Dunedin on Tuesday.

Arnel needed just 10 overs to snare career best figures of six wickets for 18 runs as he helped skittle Otago out for a paltry 88.

The match started 104 minutes late because of damp conditions.

It was Arnel's third five-wicket bag in a first class career which began in 2005 and eclipsed his previous best of six for 82 against Central Districts in the 2007/08 season.

At stumps, Northern were 195 for six, thanks to a 51 from Michael Parlane and 35 from wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan.

Northern resume their first innings on Wednesday with all rounder Joseph Yovich on 47 not out and Anton Devcich on 5 not out.

Otago opener Leighton Morgan faced just four balls before Arnell trapped him in front of the stumps for a duck.

Skipper Craig Cumming tried to keep the innings alive, scoring a quick 42 of 68 balls, finding the rope eight times.

But he found little support at the other end before he gave Michael Parlane a catch off an Arnell delivery.

Arnell was on a hat-trick after removing Cumming and Derek de Boorder. Warren McSkimming escaped the landmark but fell to Arnell five balls later for a duck.

Pace bowler Graeme Aldridge cleaned the tail up to return figures of two for 32.

Northern's innings stumbled when opener Brad Wilson was clean bowled for 15 to become one of McSkimming's two scalps of the day.

Northern dangermen Daniel Flynn, 14, and skipper James Marshall, 5, fell cheaply.

A short ball from Mat Harvie forced Flynn to spar the ball to cover where Neil Wagner took the catch while Anthony Bullick trapped Marshall leg before wicket to leave Northern 90 for three.

Northern rebuilt with a 66-run partnership between Peter McGlashan and Joseph Yovich for the sixth wicket.

McGlashan's innings ended at 35 when he gave Shaun Haig a catch of Nick Beard's bowling.

Auckland in the drivers seat

An unbeaten 80 by Andrew de Boorder helped put Auckland in a strong position for first innings points after the first day of their Plunket Shield four-day cricket match against Central Districts on Tuesday.

At close of play, Auckland were 319 for six, with Daryl Tuffey still at the crease on 20.

Batting No 7 at Napier's Nelson Park, 21-year-old de Boorder hit 12 fours off his 167 balls, while first class veteran Gareth Hopkins and English import Ravi Bopara chimed in with 61 and 50 respectively.

Bopara hit seven boundaries in his 67-ball innings before being caught off the bowling of Doug Bracewell.

The 24-year-old former England international had had little chance to prepare after scrambling to join his new teammates following the trip out from England.

Hopkins' innings was a more patient affair, with four boundaries coming off his 147 balls before he was trapped leg before wicket by George Worker.

Central had bowled 97 overs at the close of play, with Ewen Thompson taking the scalps of opening batsmen Tim McIntosh, five, and Richard Jones, 34, leaving him with figures of two for 61 off 20 overs.

Bracewell took two for 57 off his 16 overs while Kieran Noema-Barnett and Worker took a wicket each.

The match is a repeat of the 2008/2009 season final in April, which Auckland won by five wickets.

Wellington fail to kick on

Promising young batsman Josh Brodie cracked a half century against Canterbury on the opening day of the Plunket Shield four-day cricket season at the Basin Reserve on Tuesday but Wellington failed to build on a promising start.

Wellington were dismissed for 214 in 87.3 overs in their first innings. At stumps, Canterbury's reply was at 29 for one.

Canterbury's Test bowler Chris Martin was a thorn in the side of Wellington, his four wickets for 35 runs ensuring the foundation laid by Mathew Bell, 31, Neil Parlane, 36, and Brodie was never solidified.

Brodie's 66 was the second first class 50 of the left-hander's nine-match career which began in the 2007/08 season.

International all rounder Grant Elliott's return to the game after recovering from a broken finger suffered during October's Champions Trophy in South Africa did not last long after he became one of Martin's victims.

He lasted just 17 balls from which he scored three runs before snicking to wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk.

At 156 for five, Cameron Merchant and Chris Nevin, in his 100th first class match for his province, set about reviving Wellington's innings.

But once they departed for 37 and 23 respectively, the Wellington innings capitulated meekly.

Brandon Hiini provided Martin with good support in the Canterbury attack with three for 34.

He was on a hat-trick after removing Brodie and Luke Woodcock but Nevin  was never going to allow himself a duck in his landmark game.

The other players to have played 100 first class matches for Wellington are Evan Gray (120), Robert Vance (119) and Ervin McSweeney (102).

Michael Papps was the sole Canterbury wicket to fall today, scoring four from five balls before Iain O'Brien knocked his stumps over.

Rob Nicol and Peter Fulton resume on Wednesday on 11 not out and 14 not out respectively.