da spicy bet： A slogged six that cleared the head of Warren Wisneski at mid-on from man ofthe match Tama Canning gave Auckland victory with two balls to spare in adramatic second round Shell Cup encounter
da jogodeouro： Steve Deane10-Dec-2000A slogged six that cleared the head of Warren Wisneski at mid-on from man ofthe match Tama Canning gave Auckland victory with two balls to spare in adramatic second round Shell Cup encounter.Canning’s 25 not out from 15 balls proved decisive after a superbhalf-century from Lou Vincent had put Auckland in a winning position.In a match that was in the balance until the final ball Canning’s cavalierinnings, together with his career best four-wicket haul in the Canterburyinnings, proved to be the difference between the two sides.Auckland won the toss and asked Canterbury to bat, but in doing so the Acesgifted Canterbury the best batting conditions of the match on a pitch thatslowed in pace as the match wore on.At 84/0 after 15 overs Canterbury would have been looking for one of itsopeners, Brad Doody or Mark Hastings, to bat through and guide the defendingchampions to a score in excess of 280.But as the pitch appeared to slow up the Aces, bowling depth came to thefore, with Canning, Andre Adams, Mark Haslam and Chris Drum combining todeny Canterbury a boundary between the 18th and 37th overs. Chris Harrisfinally broke the drought with a pull shot for six of Andre Adams.Umpire Brent Bowden’s reluctance to give decisions again came to the forewith the dismissal of Harris. A Chris Drum delivery appeared to take asubstantial deflection as Harris played away from his body and a nick wasclearly audible from the grandstand. The Auckland players gathered mid-pitchto congratulate Drum but to their amazement Bowden declined to send Harrispacking. Both Harris and the fielders stood their ground, prompting Bowdento confer with South African umpire Brian Jerling at square leg. Jerlingimmediately indicated he thought it was a dismissal and Bowden finally gaveHarris a nod.Debate about Bowden tends to centre on whether his clownish antics are goodfor the image of the game, but scrutiny of his umpiring would reveal a manhesitant to make a decision on even the most obvious of dismissals.Canning’s first spell of seven overs, 2/19 had been crucial in Aucklandchoking back the Canterbury run-rate and he struck again with the first ballof his second spell, having Gary Stead caught by cover sweeper RichardMorgan for 21, in the 41st over.At lunch Canterbury coach Gary MacDonald said the failure of either Harrisor Stead to bat on after getting starts, had resulted in score 20-30 runsless than he would have liked. However, he believed his side’s score of 228was defendable.Auckland began its chase in positive fashion, debutant Tim McIntosh, freshfrom his maiden first-class century, combined with a more circumspect AaronBarnes for a century opening stand. Both batsmen were dismissed soon aftermaking their half-centuries, McIntosh unfortunately run out when he lookedto have another hundred at his mercy.Auckland continued to lose wickets at regular intervals and the run-rateclimbed above seven. Carl Anderson bowled a tight spell, as did Shane Bond,but Harris bowled too many bad balls to be able to maintain the pressurefrom his end.Lou Vincent steadied the Auckland innings with an intelligent run a ballhalf-century. But when Bond bowled Vincent with the last ball of thepenultimate over Auckland still required six for victory.Three good balls from Geoff Allot conceded only two runs, leaving the matchin the balance. However the final act of the game was left to its starperformer, Tama Canning, who just got under an Allot attempted Yorker enoughto clear the desperately leaping Wisneski.
