CENTRAL STAGS allrounder WILL CLARK has had a game to remember at Bay Oval - and we're still only two days in.

The 23-year-old from Hawke's Bay has written himself into New Zealand's first-class cricket record books after joining a very short list of players to have celebrated their maiden five-wicket bag and maiden first-class century in the same match.

Stepping up in the absence of injured JOSH CLARKSON (ruled out ahead of the fourth round with a hamstring tear sustained in the previous match in Napier), Clark took his maiden Plunket Shield bag, 5/62, on the opening day of the top-of-the-table, away clash with Northern Districts in Mount Maunganui, then raced to his maiden century - 109 off 130 balls - on yesterday's second day.

Clark joins Bill Redgrave (1905/06 for Wellington v Hawke's Bay, pre-Plunket Shield), Les Butler (1961/62, for Wellington) and John Sparling (1959/60, for Auckland) as players to have achieved both their maiden milestones for a New Zealand Domestic team in the same first-class match.

He also becomes one of just five players to have "done the double" for the Central Stags, joining 1960s icons VIC POLLARD and BRYAN YUILE, MARTIN CROWE (who did it twice, in consecutive summers) and BRENDON DIAMANTI - all international players.

In the context of the game, Clark's innings was vital to Central's recovery from the quick loss of both captain TOM BRUCE and form batter DANE CLEAVER after ND quick Matt Fisher (4/46) hauled his side back into the fight in Mt Maunganui.

BRAD SCHMULIAN | MButcher

But Clark's double century stand for the fifth wicket with BRAD SCHMULIAN (who reached 108 in his 50th cap game - Schmulian's seventh first-class century at the same place he scored his National record double century on debut) ultimately saw the Stags take a 187-run first innings lead, as well as the full eight first innings bonus points.

It took Neil Wagner to remove the pair, and late in the afternoon ND safely negotiated the 15 overs remaining before stumps - set to resume today's third morning on 23/0, trailing overall by 164.

Article added: Monday 9 December 2024