HAMILTON (New Zealand), Feb 8: A superb century by Nick Knight was not enough to secure England victory in the first match of their New Zealand tour Friday when Northern Districts beat them by three wickets.
Knight scored 126 as England racked up 288 for six, a good score on a hard pitch with a sluggish outfield.
But England had not reckoned on former New Zealand medium pace bowler-turned opener Simon Doull, who carved out 80 in only 47 balls.
He hooked, cut and lofted England’s finest to all parts in an innings that only lasted 14 overs and included 10 fours and four sixes.
Doull and James Marshall put on 96 for the first Northern Districts wicket in 11.2 overs and Doull departed at 114 with an over to go before fielding restrictions ended at 15.
In the process, Andy Caddick went for 29 off three overs and though the England bowlers may still have been suffering from jetlag after their journey from India, they would not have expected such a barrage of shots from Doull.
ENGLAND:
M. Trescothick c Bradburn b Aldridge 38
N.V. Knight c J. Marshall b Yovich 126
M.P. Vaughan c R. Hart b Butler 12
G.P. Thorpe c M. Hart b Aldridge 40
O.A. Shah c M. Hart b Tuffey 31
C. White run out 0
P.D. Collingwood not out 15
J.N. Snape not out 13
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-2, NB-8) 13
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 288
FALL OF WKTS: 1-60, 2-88, 3-186, 4-254, 5-256, 6-261.
DID NOT BAT: A.R. Caddick, D. Gough, M.J. Hoggard.
BOWLING: Tuffey 10-0-59-1 (3nb); Yovich 6-0-50-0 (3nb); Aldridge 10-1-39-2; Butler 10-1-52-1 (2nb); Bradburn 4-0-25-0; Doull 4-0-22-0; M. Hart 6-0-38-0.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS:
J. Marshall c Trescothick b Collingwood 24
S.B. Doull c White b Hoggard 80
M.E. Parlane c T’cothick b White 79
M.N. Hart c Thorpe b Caddick 1
H.J.H. Marshall b Hoggard 38
G.E. Bradburn not out 43
R.G. Hart b Gough 0
J.A.F. Yovich c Trescothick b Gough 0
D.R. Tuffey not out 8
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-8, W-5, NB-5) 20
TOTAL (for seven wkts, 49.1 overs) 293
FALL OF WKTS: 1-96, 2-114, 3-122, 4-187, 5-277, 6-278, 7-278.
DID NOT BAT: I.G. Butler, G.W. Aldridge.
BOWLING: Caddick 10-1-56-1 (2nb, 1w); Hoggard 10-0-61-2 (3nb, 1w); Gough 10-1-59-2 (1w); Collingwood 5-0-32-1; Snape 4.1-0-29-0 (1w); White 10-0-46-1 (1w).
RESULT: Northern Districts won by three wickets.—Reuters





























