DAY FOUR
Lunch update: Wellington Firebirds 83/4, a second innings lead of 130 (Michael Papps 51; Hamish Bennett 4-43) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Tea update: Wellington Firebirds 136 all out (Michael Papps 51, Fraser Colson 30 not out; Hamish Bennett 5-54). Canterbury yet to bat, requiring 184 in the last session for an outright win at Hagley Oval, Christchurch.
Canterbury 129 all out, result: Wellington Firebirds win by 54 runs. Firebirds move up to second on the points table, and defending champions Canterbury drop to third, with just two rounds remaining.
A match that had started with Canterbury cleaning up their guests on a green wicket ended with the visitors exacting a handsome revenge.
Veteran Jeetan Patel and rookie Iain McPeake took three wickets each on the last day as the Firebirds rolled Canterbury for 129 in the final session for a 54-run outright win that has seen the two sides swap places on the table.
Both remain in mathematical contention, but Canterbury's proactive declaration gamble in this weather-shortened match did not pay off, the Aces meanwhile storming ahead further south.
The points pressure is bearing down on Canterbury, their three-peat dream dimming as the two teams ahead of then, the Aces and Firebirds, will play each other in the next round.
Canterbury was not without its flashes of hope at a lush and cool Hagley Oval.
Peter Fulton having declared their first innings 47 runs in arrears in order to gun for 12 outright points, the plan was on track when the Firebirds crumbled away against a quality five-wicket bag from Hamish Bennett (5-54) — no fewer than eight of the Firebirds would depart for single digit scores.
But pivotally, it did not include Fulton’s former longtime ally in red and black — but these days the Firebirds’ captain — Michael Papps, whose bold half century at the top (51 off 73 balls) stood above the mire.
He had put on 73 with Luke Woodcock before the carnage began, and with Fraser Colman later managing to withstand the storm for an unbeaten 30, it was enough to get the Firebirds to 138 and set Canterbury a target of 184 in one final session.
With news having already filtered through of the Volts having failed (by just 10 runs and a batsman down) to stop the Aces in Dunedin, Canterbury’s horror day continued as the Firebirds began flicking their batting line-up over like dominoes.
It started with a pace assault — Iain McPeake going on to complete a fine second match at this level with 3-43 — and worsened for the hosts as Jeetan Patel (his 3-20 coming off just seven overs) attacked the middle order, digging out Chad Bowes whose 34 had been the most resistant score.
Canterbury had no answer for the Firebirds’ venom as the visitors themselves sought vital upward purchase on the points table. With every wicket the pressure and pain was more palpable, until a run out on 129 finally put them out of their misery.
The Firebirds had won by 54 runs, as good as an ocean in the context of the low-scoring match. Both teams now hang on the next round.
DAY THREE
Stumps score: Wellington Firebirds 39/0. Canterbury declared its first innings at 159/2 (Leo Carter 53, Michael Davidson 73 not out).
Tea update: Canterbury 107/0 (Leo Carter 50 not out, Michael Davidson 47 not out), trailing by 99 runs in the first innings.
Lunch update: Change of innings, Canterbury yet to bat in first innings. Wellington Firebirds 206 all out (Scott Borthwick 110 not out, Iain McPeake 25: Borthwick and McPeake broke the 9th-wicket record partnership for Wellington against Canterbury when the total reached 194. Previous best was 115 set in the 1923/24 season (EHL Bernau,KC James) in Wellington. Andy Ellis 4-33, Kyle Jamieson 3-57) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Having lost all of yesterday’s play in a rain-affected clash at Hagley Oval, Canterbury captain Peter Fulton this afternoon forewent any further bonus points and declared 47 runs behind the Wellington Firebirds in the first innings as his second-placed team hunts an outright win to keep them in touch with competition leaders the Mondiale Auckland Aces on the points table.
With the current round first innings bonus points factored in, the Aces (game in progress) currently sit on 110 points to Canterbury’s 91. An outright win is worth a further 12 points. Canterbury is the defending champion, looking for a three-peat of titles; the Aces are currently unbeaten.
Noteworthy statistic of the day: resisting serious pressure after Canterbury had had the Firebirds flapping at 78/8, century-maker Scott Borthwick and Iain McPeake — in only his second first-class match — broke the ninth-wicket partnership record for their side against Canterbury, a mark that had stood since January 1924 (you can view the scoreboard for that 1923/24 Plunket Shield match at the Basin at http://www.blackcaps.co.nz/archive/seasons).
Former England international and Durham pro Borthwick's unbeaten 110 was his second Firebirds century this season and broke the long-standing record when he and number 10 McPeake (25) reached 116 together. They went on to 125.
Both teams were manouevring for possible outright points in a short time frame, in order to stay in touch with the breakaway unbeaten Aces.
Scott Borthwick and Stephen Murdoch
Borthwick had kept the Wellingtonians in the game after a nightmarish first dig. Having entered the warfare with the ’Birds in a flap at 16/2, the left-hander’s patient 110 was his 12th overall at first-class level, composed across almost six hours, while Iain McPeake soldiered for more than three hours to support him with his hard-earned 25, before the Firebirds were finally put to bed at 206 all out.
It frustrated the Cantabrians, having had them well on the ropes, and ultimately forced captain Fulton to declare if he was to have any chance of bagging 12 for the outright.
That declaration also put paid to a good hand from Michael Davidson, whose unbeaten 73 was his career best, only his second half century in his first-class career.
Forty-seven runs ahead on the first innings, the Firebirds had added 39 without loss by stumps for an overall lead of 86 heading into a crunch day four.
DAY TWO
Stumps score: Wellington Firebirds remain 101/8, no play having been possible on day two. 10am start set for day three.
DAY ONE
Stumps score: Wellington Firebirds 101/8 (Scott Borthwick 35 not out; Kyle Jamieson 3-42, Andrew Ellis 4-11) at Hagley Oval, Christchurch on 15 March 2016
Three rounds to go. Threepeat on the line. Toss won on a distinctly green deck, wickets galore and all on track so far for Canterbury in round eight of the Plunket Shield, brought to you by Budget Rental.
The Wellington Firebirds were meanwhile left green with envy after collapsing to 78 for eight on a lush-looking deck.
County pro Scott Borthwick loomed as some sort of capital saviour, unbeaten on 35 from a near heroic 112 balls as stumps were drawn for the day. It was the top score after he helped his side make 101 by stumps, with some defiant support from Jeetan Patel thrown in.
While the toss was a good one to win, Canterbury had helped themselves by bowling with their customary discipline.
Veteran Andy Ellis had broken their stand — longtime adversary Patel his 200th first-class wicket. And while Patel's quick 25 was defiant, Hamish Bennett had been unlucky not to have claimed him already.
Hitting his time-honoured areas, zeroing in on the exacting length, Ellis had threatened to blast his way to an outstanding new bowling PB as he sat on figures of 8-4-5-4, having devastated the Firebirds' middle order on a grey day bookended by drizzle.
On 4-11 at stumps, with two Firebirds wickets remaining, he might still do it.
Matt Henry and the ever more impressive youngster Kyle Jamieson had done the early damage, Henry making a quick opening breakthrough by claiming Luke Woodcock with a good nut and Jamieson claiming two early ones, picking up a luckless Stephen Murdoch after a relay catch in the slips. He would finish with three after picking up Anurag Verma late in the day.
