Wellington cricket captain Matthew Bell was advised to bat first in his team's Plunket Shield cricket match against Otago in Queenstown today.
He did as suggested after winning the toss and all of one ball later Bell was heading back towards the pavilion at Queenstown Events Centre after shouldering arms to left-arm seamer Neil Wagner.
His leg before wicket dismissal may have given Bell immediate cause to rue his decision but his batting colleagues helped erase any misgivings as Wellington worked hard to reach 256 for four by stumps in the four-day match with debutant Stewart Rhodes making an impression.
Rhodes marked his first match at this level by scoring 64 not out, putting on an unbroken stand of 92 for the fifth wicket with Luke Woodcock, who made an unbeaten 34, to complement another impressive innings from young opener Josh Brodie.
Left-hander Brodie occupied the crease for a touch over four hours in reaching 76 before becoming Wagner's second victim when caught by wicketkeeper Derek de Boorder.
Rhodes was also watchful, spending 189 minutes in the middle, firstly with Brodie in a partnership worth 131 runs, then in unison with Woodcock as Wellington put in a solid day's work.
The Otago bowlers were all made to toil hard for any success, with Wagner the best with his two for 55.
Captain Craig Cumming employed eight bowlers through the day which ended with Wellington holding the upperhand.
Scoreboard after the first day of the four-day Plunket Shield cricket match between Otago and Wellington in Queenstown today:
Wellington
First innings
M Bell lbw b Wagner 0
J Brodie b Beard 76
N Parlane c de Boorder b Wagner 18
C Merchant b Todd 42
S Rhodes not out 64
L Woodcock not out 34
Extras (9b, 9lb, 1w, 3nb) 22
Total (for 4 wkts, 97 overs) 256
Fall: 0, 39, 133, 164.
Bowling: N Wagner 20.4-5-55-2 (1nb), A Bullick 21-5-57-0, I Butler 16-8-24-0 (1nb), S Wells 11.2-2-30-0, C Cumming 5-0-19-0, G Todd 8-2-16-1 (1nb), N Beard 14-2-33-1, N Broom 1-0-4-0.
NZPA WGT md