Northern Districts vs. Auckland ACES | Day Two
The Auckland ACES face an uphill battle after a tough second day against Northern Districts at Cobham Oval.
Asked to bat first when the toss finally took place on at the start of Day Two, the ACES lost both openers early on. Under pressure from Northern Districts duo Neil Wagner and Scott Kuggeleijn, Glenn Phillips decided attack was the best form of defence. Phillips took 18 runs from the eighth over, hitting three fours and a six, but was later caught in the deep for 28 off 30 balls.
While the ACES found a way to score off Kuggeleijn, the Northern Districts opener remained a threat and played a major role in reducing the visitors to 65/5 in the first hour of play. Mark Chapman was then joined by debutant Ross ter Braak and the pair dug deep in the lead-up to lunch. Chapman (57) found the boundary on nine occasions before Kuggeleijn came back into the attack.
Kuggeleijn’s career-best figures of 7-45 saw the ACES all out for 141 in the 49th over.
While ter Braak and Ollie Pringle made a tidy start in reply, Northern Districts built away patiently. An opening stand of 70 between Jeet Raval (63*) and Henry Cooper (35) saw the hosts late into Day Two before the ACES hit back. Spinners Will Somerville and Louis Delport both bagged wickets in the final hour to give the ACES a lift heading into Day Three.
Northern Districts will resume 112/2 on Moving Day and the ACES will need early wickets to get back into the match.
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