A brilliant Peter Fulton century today was not enough to prevent Canterbury Wizards losing by two wickets to Central Stags in a national one-day cricket championship match at MainPower Oval in Rangiora today.
Central's victory, chasing Canterbury's total of 255 after they were sent in to bat, was built around a fine performance by bowler Doug Bracewell as they scored 256 for eight.
Bracewell, in tandem with Jacob Oram, helped strangle Canterbury's batting before it could get away when he took the last three wickets while the opposition posted just seven runs.
He then joined Mathew Sinclair at the crease when Central were 157-6 and scored 46 runs from 43 balls, including four boundaries and a six to set up a match-winning stand worth 81 runs for the seventh wicket.
Sinclair, unbeaten with 67, guided the tailenders to the 18 runs needed to pass Canterbury's total.
Earlier, Fulton scored his 104 of 116 balls, containing eight fours -- his third one-day century in 125 matches.
Coming in Canterbury 11 for one, he featured in three solid partnerships, putting on 72 for the second wicket with Rob Nicol, 41 with Dean Brownlie for the third wicket and 89 with Tom Latham for the fifth wicket before being bowled by Michael Mason.
Latham followed Fulton back to the pavilion seven runs later and the innings folded 29 runs later with Oram and Bracewell mopping the tail up.
NZPA
