Canterbury made the tenth highest fourth innings total in New Zealand first-class history today, but it was not enough to defeat Wellington in their seventh round Shell Trophy match at Christchurch Village Green.

Their 372 all out fell 39 short, and gave Wellington a win that took them to the top of the Trophy table.

Firebirds' coach Vaughn Johnson, and their captain Matthew Bell, were predictably "very, very happy" by the result, which came with 12.4 overs of the fourth innings remaining. The timing of their declaration at tea yesterday proved key, as did the meticulously thought out field placings and bowling changes that produced a win that the whole team had contributed to.

Richard Jones took the catch that finished it all off, from the bowling of Iain O'Brien. It was the young seamer's 30th wicket of his debut season.

Jones set up the win with a rapid 145 on the first day, in a game where Wellington dominated until the last four sessions. Only then, after two declarations, did Canterbury show their mettle. The game was anyone's until Marcel McKenzie went for 76, his second career best of the match, lbw to the rejuvenated Andrew Penn. At that stage just fifty were required, but Canterbury had run out of men who could get them.

On that first day Bell hit his fifth century of the season, and Johnson reckons he's "about right" for a return to Test cricket. "What more can he do?," asked the former Otago coach.

"We got a bit of a hiding up north in the last game against Northern Districts. I think our guys have shown a lot of character to come back and win on a deck that really said 'no, there shouldn't be a result,'" Johnson told CricInfo.

"The declaration was probably about right, as Canterbury showed in their second innings. I thought that Canterbury's effort to get to 370 odd was pretty good," he continued generously.

"I thought the ten overs before tea from the two spinners was the crucial period of the day. Patel and Jefferson bowled ten overs for six and that was the turning point of the day for us. All of a sudden we created a bit of pressure, we got a wicket through that and then it left them at tea needing 100 with three wickets."

It still could have gone either way, as it could have all day. Firstly Jarrod Englefield (with a season high 83) and Robbie Frew (his 88 bringing up 500 runs for the year) took their second wicket partnership on to 158. Then McKenzie, who looked set for a maiden century before being unluckily given out when he seemed to get a bit of bat on one that kept low, Gareth Hopkins and Stephen Cunis all threatened to give Canterbury a first Trophy win since the last game of 1998/99.

But it wasn't to be, with the match mirroring their previous one against Otago, which also ended in narrow defeat after a massive run chase.

Coach Garry MacDonald had not finalised the team for the next game, in Whangarei, starting on Monday as convenor of selectors Ben Harris is in Queenstown. However, after taking just ten wickets for 642 runs in this match, the bowlers are sure to change, especially with Shane Bond and Hayden Shaw ready to return after injury. Canterbury's Black Caps will be unavailable, as will Warren Wisneski, who was an international this time last year.

In contrast Wellington had more positive thoughts. Their last game was a heavy defeat, but now they are top. Canterbury have lost two narrowly and they are rock-bottom of the table, but becoming more aware of their talent.

Johnson concluded, "What we're trying to do from now to the end of the season is just to keep developing our young players. But realistically, we're two points in front and there's only three rounds to go, so we're very, very happy with the way we're playing."

© CricInfo