Unbeaten Wellington broke free of its grapple with Canterbury at the top of the leaderboard after Wellington captain Kevin Weerasundara's five-wicket-bag helped the capital beat Otago, while Canterbury stumbled against Central Districts thanks to another five-wicket bag, from Taranak left-arm spinner Liam Carr.
They were the first two bags of the tournament, the one-dayers finishing on a strong note for the bowlers ahead of a rest day and the final three T20 games this Thursday and Friday to decide the tournament, with three points on the table for each T20 win.
The standings after the four rounds of one-day action (including a Day One washout):
- Wellington 16 points (three wins, 2 bonus points)
- Canterbury 11 points (two wins, 1 bonus point)
- Auckland 11 points (two wins, 1 bonus point)
- Northern Districts 7 points (one win, 1 bonus point)
- Central Districts 6 points (one win)
- Otago 2 points
• Central Districts Under 19 beat Canterbury Under 19 by 2 wickets
Lincoln No.3
The defending champion Central Districts desperately needed a win to stay alive at the tournament, and they got it by upsetting the hitherto unbeaten hosts, Canterbury.
Canterbury captain and opener Scott Janett won the toss and batted, and his 67 off 77 deliveries would prove very important to giving his bowlers something to defend later on, after the rest of the side fell away.
Hawke's Bay youngster Charlie Geange made the opening breakthough for CD with just his second ball of the match, and after left-arm spinner Carr made a double blow in the 23rd over with the big wicket of Janett and then Robbie Foulkes caught a few balls later, Canterbury's struggles really began.
That was the tight Carr's fifth over of his spell, and he came back with a bang - turning in a double wicket maiden in his penultimate over of his set, then completing his bag of 5-32, with his second to last ball of his set, by which time Canterbury had been reduced to 151/7 after 33 overs on the smallest of the three Lincoln grounds.
Central rolled Canterbury for 175 in the 39th over, Josh Fairbrother chipping in 3-36 as he wrapped up proceedings in the first innings.
CD got off to a shaky start of their own, losing two quick wickets as George Gunn struck twice in the third over.
But opener Bayley Latter held on for 22. He anchored for Sam Cassidy before Cassidy (63) and captain Jonty Fleck (an unbeaten 44*) patiently added a 79-run stand for the fourth wicket to put CD back in control of the chase, ticking off a much needed win for CD in the 44th over.
For Canterbury, Nick Smith again impressed with three wickets.
• Wellington Under 19 beat Otago Under 19 by 5 wickets
Bert Sutcliffe Oval
Canterbury's loss had opened the door for Wellington to take the tournament lead on their own, and they did just that against a side frustrated to finish winless after their three one-day games.
Otago captain Thomas O'Connor won the toss and batted on the centre ground, but Wellington's Henry McIntrye (2-31) would quickly celebrate a wicket in his first over.
Wickets would fall too regularly for Otago to really get the traction they needed, with a promising fourth-wicket partnership of 53 between O'Connor (19) and 19-year-old first-call rep Jacob Cumming (35) cut short in the 23rd over.
That was a pivotal moment in the innings, after which Wellington captain Kevin Weerasundara went to work with his right-arm off-spinner for the second five-wicket bag of the day.
Zac Cumming, the younger of the two brothers, fought hard for 29 but Weerasundara was causing chaos through the middle order and finished with 5-38 off his 8.4 overs.
Otago had been bowled out for 164 in the 37th and, despite a wobbly start to their chase, that wasn't enough to stop the Wellington train from rolling on.
Toby Hart started brilliantly for Otago with three early wickets. He got his first breakthrough off just his second delivery and went on to become the first at the tournament to get the huge wicket of the double unbeaten century man, Muhammad Abbas, for just six runs at 36/4 in the ninth.
But Wellington showed that they had more batting in the tank, Lachie Bailey (21) and Henry Christie (an unbeaten 79*) rebuilding with an 80-run partnership to swing the momentum to the capital.
Christie would bring home the win in the 32nd over, after an unbeaten cameo from Weerasundara for the sixth.
• Auckland Under 19 beat Northern Districts Under 19 by 7 wickets
Lincoln Green
Auckland made winning look easy against their neighbours, chasing down their target of 174 in just the 29th over for a valuable bonus point on Lincoln Green.
Northern Districts captain Spencer Wills had elected to bat, but his side got off to a chaotic start as eye-catching Auckland quick Jack Wright smashed through four quick wickets, putting all of the ND top four back in the tent at 24/4 in just the seventh over.
Wright earned himself standout figures of 6-2-14-4, all from his opening and only spell, having set the ball rolling with a double strike in his first.
It was the start of a tough battle for ND, but Tayden Smit fought hard at number seven for a top score of 48, and crafted an invaluable 84-run stand with number nine batter Ewald Schreuder who impressed with a gutsy 45.
They gave their side a total, but it wasn't going to be enough to threaten the strong Auckland unit. Auckland captain Jamal Todd top-scored with 85 off just 75 deliveries to make sure his team chased it down quickly in the space of 29 overs, with seven wickets in hand, for a bonus point.
