Plunket Shield: Kane Williamson dismissed for 17 for Northern Districts in comeback match against Auckland

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Ish Sodhi hit a massive six to get to 99, but getting the next run to reach triple figures was not as convincing.

Kane Williamson’s comeback innings for Northern Districts lasted just 22 deliveries as he frustratingly missed out on some valuable pre-test runs on Thursday.

New Zealand’s test recordholder for runs (9276) and centuries (33) scored 17 on day two of the Plunket Shield match against Auckland at Bay Oval, not far from Williamson’s Mt Maunganui home.

A year since his last shield appearance for ND, Williamson began with a rush with successive boundaries off Auckland allrounder Jock McKenzie, both crashed through the off side.

But the left-arm spin of Rohit Gulati brought Williamson undone, as he charged and hit in the air, not high or far enough to clear McKenzie who gleefully accepted the chance at mid-off.

The prized wicket will be cherished by Gulati who made his first-class debut for ND last season before switching to Auckland. He began the Plunket Shield season in fine style with second innings figures of 5-46 to help the Aces to an innings victory over Central Stags last week.

Williamson is using this four-day match as a shakedown for the first test against West Indies starting in Christchurch on Tuesday, and may potentially get a second innings at Bay Oval.

Kane Williamson was playing his first Plunket Shield match for Northern Districts in a year (file photo).

His only innings this home season were 0 and 21 against England in the ODI series in October. In his most recent first-class match Williamson notched his 45th century, 153 for Middlesex against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in July.

His 105th and most recent test appearance was way back in December 2024 when he scored 44 and 156 in the third test win over England in Hamilton.

Gulati ended ND’s innings with another five-wicket bag, capturing 6-51 from 22 as he and leggie Adi Ashok (3-31) ran through the home team’s batting to dismiss them for 152 in 60.2 overs.

Batting in their second innings, Auckland reached stumps on day two at 120-1, with Dale Phillips unbeaten 70 helping them to a lead of 275 with nine wickets remaining.

In Dunedin, Black Caps legspinner Ish Sodhi scored his maiden first-class century during a massive eighth-wicket partnership for Canterbury.

Sodhi surpassed his previous highest score of 82 not out in making an unbeaten 108 as he and fellow new centurion Sean Davey put on an unbroken 204 to get the visiting side to 501-7.

It became the second-highest eighth-wicket partnership in first-class cricket in Dunedin, behind the 215-run stand by West Indians Junior Murray (141*) and Anderson Cummins (107) against Otago at Carisbrook in 1994/95.

Sodhi struck five sixes and eight fours in his 167-ball knock at No.7, bringing up his ton with a shaky lofted drive off the bowling of Black Caps team-mate Glenn Phillips.

Number nine Davey also registered his ton off Phillips’ bowling with a deft back-cut, taking him just 113 deliveries and featuring four sixes and 11 fours.

Canterbury now own the top three eighth-wicket partnerships in New Zealand domestic cricket: 220 by Paul Wiseman (130) and Brandon Hiini (100*) against Northern Districts in 2005/06; 210 by Gary Stead (190) and Shane Bond (100) against ND in 2004/05; and now Sodhi and Davey’s 204*.

Phillips, who bowled 25.2 overs and took 2-103, also showed with the bat that he was well on the way to a full recovery from a long-term groin injury in reaching 84no at stumps from 111 deliveries.

At the Basin Reserve, just four overs were possible among the rain and bad light, but that was enough to allow Black Caps white-ball batter Tim Robinson to notch his second first-class ton.

He advanced from 94no overnight to be unbeaten on 105, and has added 199 runs for the fourth wicket with Gareth Severin (69 not out) for Wellington against Central Districts.

Plunket Shield Rd 2

At Dunedin: Canterbury 501-7 declared (Henry Nicholls 111, Ish Sodhi 108no, Sean Davey 101no, Tom Latham 52, Mitch Hay 42) vs Otago 254-5 (Glenn Phillips 84no, Jacob Cumming 41, Thorn Parkes 41).

At Wellington: Wellington 218-3 (Tim Robinson 105no, Gareth Severin 69no) vs Central Districts.

At Mt Maunganui: Auckland 307 (Ryan Harrison 54no, Dale Phillips 40, Adi Ashok 38, Lachie Stackpole 36; Kristian Clarke 4-53) and 120-1 (Phillips 70no) vs Northern Districts 152 all out (Henry Cooper 43, Joe Carter 38; Rohit Gulati 6-51, Ashok 3-31).