Cricket: Auckland in with T20 chance

Wellington advanced to the semifinals of the HRV Cup with a win over Northern Districts yesterday - and Auckland could join them.

With Otago having already clinched a home final for Sunday, four teams entered yesterday's matches with a chance of making Friday's semifinal. Wellington wrote their ticket with a tense victory at the Basin Reserve, while Auckland eliminated Canterbury in Rangiora.

Auckland must beat last-placed Central Districts at Eden Park tomorrow, and they will need to do so comprehensively to overtake ND on run rate.

Both of yesterday's key matches went to the final over, and while ND failed to chase Wellington's 181, Auckland overhauled Canterbury's 182 with three balls to spare.

The hero for Auckland was Donovan Grobbelaar, who came to the crease with his side needing 27 off 14 balls. He took 16 runs from three Andrew Ellis deliveries, before winning the game with a boundary off Logan van Beek to finish unbeaten on 24 from seven balls.