CricketArchive

New Zealand State Championship in Graphics -- Round 2
by Jack Solock


Event:State Championship 2004/05

DateLine: 24th December 2004

 

An exciting second round of the New Zealand State Championship saw several milestones and one match for the ages (See the story attached to the scorecard at: http://www.cricketarchive.com/NewZealand/Scorecards/f/47/f47891.html for more on this match).

 

graph

 

In the points graph, we can see that Auckland had another perfect round, a smashing innngs win over Canterbury, giving them the maximum of 16 points after two rounds. The only hint of regret in an otherwise magnificent performance was the fact that because Auckland were too efficient, denying Mark Richardson a chance at 10,000 first-class runs. "Rigor" finished his career with 9,994 first-class runs, 21st on the all time New Zealand scoring list, just behind Jeff Crowe's 10,233. The leader on that list, by a street, remains Glenn Turner with 34,346.

 

At lunch, and even at tea on the fourth day, Central Districts had every reason to believe that they would match Auckland with 16 points. But they did not count on a record Northern Districts 6th wicket partnership of 216 between Matthew Hart and Hamish Marshall - a partnership which broke the old record of 191 between Scott Styris and Robbie Hart set against Otago at Hamilton in March 2002 (http://www.cricketarchive.com/NewZealand/Scorecards/f/46/f46071.html) - and the 5th highest 6th wicket partnership in the history of New Zealand first-class cricket. Nor could they have imagined an unbroken 10th wicket stand of 48 in the rain and gloom between Joseph Yovich and Ian Butler to take ND to a miraculous 1 wicket victory (the 28th 1 wicket victory in the history of New Zealand first-class cricket, and the 2nd time ND had defeated CD by 1 wicket - the other being at Gisborne in January 1980) (http://www.cricketarchive.com/NewZealand/Scorecards/f/32/f32590.html).

 

The other major milestone in this match was provided by Jamie How of Central Districts, who put forth his claim to Richardson's opening slot in the Black Cap side with his third century in succession, a feat achieved by only 6 other New Zealanders: Bert Sutcliffe (who did it twice); John Reid; Martin Crowe; Andrew Jones; Mark Greatbatch, and Jason Wells. When he was dismissed for 72 in his second innings, he came within 28 runs of scoring four hundreds in two successive matches, a feat accomplished by only Tom Hayward in the County Championship for Surrey in June 1906 v Nottinghamshire (http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/f/6/f6634.html) & Leicestershire (http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/f/6/f6641.html); and David Hookes in the Sheffield Shield for South Australia in February 1977 v Queensland (http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/f/31/f31179.html) & New South Wales (http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/f/31/f31192.html)

 

In the other match Wellington were 165 runs from victory with 8 wickets in hand when rain washed out what promised to be a cracker of a fourth day, leaving Otago with first innings points.

 

graph

 

The win-loss graph begins to show some of the unfairness of the State points system. Immediately the question this graph asks, vis a vis the straight points graph, is: why should Northern Districts get only 6 points for a fantastic comeback victory, while Central Districts gets 2 points for bottling the fourth highest 4th innings lead in the history of New Zealand 1st class cricket? Both teams are 1 win, 1 loss, and that is reflected in the win-loss graph. But Central Districts is a full 4 points (half an outright victory) ahead of Northern Districts in the points table and graph that counts.

 

graph

 

The net runs per wicket graph shows that Auckland is dominating this competition by a long way, with Central Districts showing that they are a good side statistically, but with questions as to their ability to win games that should be won. But of course it is still early in the competition.

 

Sources for this article:
New Zealand Press Association via New Zealand Herald (Auckland) game stories
nzcricket.co.nz game stories
cricketarchive.com scorecards
2004 New Zealand Cricket Almanack
2004 Wisden Cricketer's Almanack

 


(Article: Copyright © 2004 Jack Solock)

LATEST SCORES

| Privacy Policy | FAQs | Contact |
Copyright © 2003-2024 CricketArchive