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Auckland and Wellington have fought out a high scoring Plunket Shield match, with rain dampening the majority of the match.
Auckland XI: Sean Solia ©, Will O’Donnell, Quinn Sunde, Finn Allen, George Worker, Cam Fletcher (WK), Ryan Harrison, Adi Ashok, Dan Ferns, Louis Delport, Matt Gibson
Wellington XI: Callum McLachlan (WK), Nick Greenwood, Gareth Severin, Nick Kelly ©, Mo Abbas, Tim Robinson, Nathan Smith, Peter Younghusband, Ben Sears, Michael Snedden, James Hartshorn
Sean Solia and Will O’Donnell got Auckland off to the best start they’ve had this season and the best start that any team across the Plunket Shield has had this season.
In what was a batting friendly wicket at Kennards Hire Community Oval, Solia and O’Donnell used this very much to their advantage as they put a partnership of 209 runs in 71.6 overs.
50 runs were made in just over 100 balls, with O’Donnell making 29 and Solia 17. O’Donnell was the first of the two batters to reach a fifty, he did this in 110 balls with 7 fours and a six in his knock. The 100 partnership was then made in 221 balls with O’Donnell adding 51 and Solia 38. Soon after, Solia then made his fifty as well to join O’Donnell on the 50+ mark. The 150 runs for the first wicket was made in just under 50 overs, Solia having increased his run scoring rate to 67 from 142 whilst O’Donnell added 73 from 161.
At the tea break, O’Donnell went in on 90* (206) and Solia 83* (196).
Not long after tea, O’Donnell made his fourth first class century coming from 224 balls and included 13 fours and two sixes, the 200 run partnership also being made at the same time.
James Hartshorn made the first breakthrough with O’Donnell falling at the end of the 71st over for 102 (233).
Solia’s century came a bit later in the afternoon and he brought it up in 241 balls with 13 fours and a single six.
Quinn Sunde and Solia went into the end of the day with score sitting at 267/1 with Solia on 114* (282) and Sunde 30 (60).
The Aces 300 run mark was made 12 overs into the day two, but they had also lost two more wickets with Sunde 37 (93) and Allen 3 (10), both departing to Nathan Smith.
Solia’s 150 game in 344 balls with 21 fours and a single six in the 150 runs.
George Worker and Solia made a 100 run partnership and then Worker also made his fifty from 52 balls but departed two balls later, bowled by Peter Younghusband.
Cam Fletcher joined Solia in the middle, but Fletcher made only 39 balls, adding 17 runs in the process. He was bowled by Tim Robinson.
Solia then made his maiden first class double century from 428 balls, with 23 fours and a six in the knock.
Sean Solia's double century. Video Credit: NZC Captain Solia then was eventually out for 206 from 434 balls, Younghusband grabbing the wicket.
He then declared 25 runs later after both Harrisn and Ashok were dismissed.
Solia was the top scorer in the innings with 206, while Younghusband took 3/167.
McLachlan and Greenwood opened the batting for Wellington and got off to a good start making 76 for the first wicket in just over 18 overs. McLachlan the first one out, Delport the man with the wicket.
Greenwood then joined McLachlan back in the sheds around six overs later having made 55 (78), Delport too picking up his wicket.
Nick Kelly lasted for a quickfire 28 from 40 and Mo Abbas made 23 from 35.
Whilst wickets kept falling, Robinson (0), Smith (13), Younghusband (18), and Sears (14), Gareth Severin was able to stay at the wicket and keep adding to the score as well as taking most of the strike with the wickes falling.
He made his second first class century from 232 balls. Delport had earlier picked up his fourth first class fifer.
Snedden and Severin made 50 runs for the ninth wicket, Severin doing the majority of the scoring as he added 46 (25) in the partnership.
Severin departed in the 101st over for 143.
In the very few overs on Day Four, Snedden and Hartshorn were able to get Wellington past the 350 run mark and grab another batting bonus point.
Ultimately throughout the match rain was a nuisance and resulted in the game being called off at 4:05pm as only a couple of overs had been completed on Day Four.
Severin was the top scorer with 143 whilst Delport took 6/98.
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