Central Districts vs Otago | Draw

Notables

Otago 479/5dec

Hamish Rutherford - 143, Brad Wilson - 111, Neil Broom - 93, Josh Finnie - 56

Ajaz Patel - 2/144 of 43 overs @ 3.35rpo

CD 365/5dec

Greg Hay - 136, Mitch Renwick - 57, Tom Bruce - 78

Christi Viljoen - 3/84 off 27 overs @ 3.11rpo

Otago 238/2

Brad Wilson - 117, Hamish Rutherford - 73

Notes

There's some Blackcaps context to the first round's performances, although veteran Brad Wilson doesn't quite fit into that window. Wilson went back to back with centuries at the top of the order for Otago and played more of an anchor role while Hamish Rutherford - who does feature in the Blackcaps context - played his natural game.

Both Rutherford and Neil Broom spent the winter in England playing for Derbyshire on the Kiwi County Tour, they weren't overly successful though. Broom especially struggled to pile up the runs, but I don't think it's a coincidence that they both contributed in the first game of the Plunket Shield after playing so much cricket on the Kiwi County Tour.

Wilson got runs as the OG veteran, so did CD's Greg Hay, while there were also impressive performances from a gang of younger batsmen as well. CD enjoyed runs from 25-year-old Tom Bruce who played his 18th game, as well as Mitch Renwick (23yrs) in his 6th game and Otago weren't going to be out-done in that regard as they are enjoying the way 19-year-old Josh Finne is settling into First-Class cricket. Going back to the end of last season, Finnie's last four scores; 52, 22, 32 and 56.

Ajaz Patel's back in the wickets, picking up where he left off last season and Otago unleashed Rhys Phillips, who gives his leg-spin a crank.

One time for Namibian international Christi Viljoen who's medium-pace has and will likely flourish in the kiwi summer.

Canterbury vs Northern Districts | ND win (5 wickets)

Notables

Canterbury 445

Andrew Ellis - 41, Todd Astle - 195, Tim Johnston - 66, Kyle Jamieson - 40.

Scott Kuggeleijn - 3/130 off 28.1 overs @4.61, Joel Baker - 2/87 off 27 overs @3.22rpo, Zak Gibson 2/86 off 17 overs @5.05rpo

ND 415

Daniel Flynn - 66, Dean Brownlie - 104, Tim Seifert - 81.

Kyle Jamieson - 2/68 off 22 overs @3.09rpo, Andrew Ellis - 2/46 off 21 overs @2.19rpo, Tim Johnston - 2/84 off 36 overs @2.33rpo, Todd Astle - 2/75 off 33 overs @2.27rpo.

Canterbury 165

Tim Johnston - 43

Scott Kuggeleijn - 6/60 off 17.5 overs @3.36rpo, Joel Baker 2/69 off 18 overs @3.83rpo.

ND 198/5

Bharat Popli - 41, Daryl Mitchell - 51.

Andrew Ellis - 2/35 off 17 overs @2.05rpo, Todd Astle - 2/38 off 12 overs @3.16rpo.

Notes

Canterbury enjoyed some fairly impressive all-round performances, especially from their spinners as Todd Astle banged a big century and did so at a strike-rate of 103.17. Astle and offie Tim Johnston both scored runs in the first innings, before taking a couple wickets each and Johnston backed his first innings effort with a 40-odd in the second.

Astle and Johnston combined for 6 wickets, while ND's spinners Nick Kelly and Josef Walker couldn't manage a wicket between them.

I liked how both Canterbury and ND each rolled out a trio of fairly young seamers, showcasing the wave of seamers coming through. ND were led by Scott Kuggeleijn who has a pretty damn freakish ability to take wickets and has already re-established himself at the top of the pace-bowling pecking order, with Joel Baker and 19-year-old Zak Gibson doing a great job in support. We saw Ed Nuttall and Kyle Jamieson plenty last season, this time around though they were joined by 20-year-old Henry Shipley from Darfield who made his FC debut.

I've got Daniel Flynn and Dean Brownlie in the same category as Brad Wilson, which is fantastic for ND because they'll enjoy solid contributions from these two all season long. Flynn and Brownlie opened, meaning that it's a near-certainty that they'll get off to a decent start.

81 and 31* for Tim Seifert is a great start to the season for the young wicket-keeper from ND, so make sure you pay attention. Seifert was up against former ND and fellow young wicket-keeper Cam Fletcher, but Fletcher sat in the shade with scores of 10 and 14.

Bharat Popli started slow but hit a 40 in the second dig, he needs to back up last season.

Wellington vs Auckland | Wellington win (6 wickets)

Notables

Auckland 269

Michael Guptill-Bunce - 50, Jeet Raval - 47, Dane Hutchinson - 48.

Hamish Bennett - 3/64 off 13 overs @4.92rpo, Brent Arnel 4/57 off 22 overs @2.59rpo, Jeetan Patel 3/79 off 30.4 overs @2.57rpo.

Wellington 273

Stephen Murdoch - 109, Tom Blundell - 42.

Lachie Ferguson - 5/44 off 19.3 overs @2.25rpo, Colin de Grandhomme - 2/29 off 18 overs @1.61rpo

Auckland 278

Rob Nicol - 49, Donovan Grobbelaar - 40.

Hamish Bennett - 2/99 off 19 overs @5.21, Brent Arnel - 4/47 off 22.1 overs @2.12rpo, Jeetan Patel - 4/76 off 33 overs @2.30rpo.

Wellington 275/4

Luke Woodcock - 98, Michael Papps - 57.

Dane Hutchinson - 2/44 off 12 overs @3.66rpo

Notes

Wellington might be a bit short on young talent, however with Hamish Bennett offering some pace and bounce, Brent Arnel hitting the seam and Jeetan Patel looking to bring his County work back to the Plunket Shield, it's hard not to love the balance offered by that group of veterans.

It's the same story with the bat as Hamish Marshall's back in Aotearoa, giving Wellington a batting line up of Woodcok, Papps, Murdoch, Marshall #Grizzly. There's not too many weak spots in this Wellington side, although they could be tested if injury strikes but they could be dangerous as a group of veterans who offer fantastic domestic talent and experience.

Don't sleep on Tom Blundell in the wicket-keeping stakes, he couldn't quite match Seifert's work but did hit a 40.

I'll be keeping a close eye on Michael Guptill-Bunce and Lachie Ferguson for Auckland this season. Guptill-Bunce rounded off last season with two centuries, a 93 and an 89 through seven games and started this season with a 50, while Ferguson took 23 wickets over five games to finish last season and got straight back to work with what was his third 5-wicket-haul in six FC games.

Leaders

Bowling

Scott Kuggeleijn: 9 wickets off 46 overs, 21.11avg, 4.13rpo.

Brent Arnel: 8 wickets off 44.1 overs, 13avg, 2.35rpo.

Jeetan Patel: 7 wickets off 63.4 overs, 22.14avg, 2.43rpo.

Batting

Brad Wilson: 228 runs from 2 inns, 228avg, 2 x 100.

Hamish Rutherford: 216 runs from 2 inns, 108avg, 1 x 100, 1 x 50.

Todd Astle: 209 runs, 104.5avg, 1 x 100.

Blackcaps Context

I definitely wouldn't assume that just because Jeet Raval went to Africa, that he's next in line for a Blackcaps Test opening spot. Hamish Rutherford went back to back with a century and half-century to remind everyone that he's eager to make a case and Raval may struggle to be the best opener in Auckland if Guptill-Bunce keeps truckin' along. While I wouldn't be picking a veteran to slot into that opening spot, I wouldn't be mad if Brad Wilson or Dean Brownle got thrown into the mix either.

Henry Nicholls: 6 and 6, dismissed by Zak Gibson twice.