ROUND ONE
NORTHERN DISTRICTS defeated CENTRAL STAGS by 28 runs
Saxton Oval, Nelson
ND: 4 points
Selected milestones
Jeet Raval and Brett Hampton: List A 7th wicket partnership record for Northern Districts (129)
Defending champions the Central Stags were upset by a strong Northern Districts side in a hard fought match in which both captains almost reached a century.
But it was arguably the dangerous heavy hitter Brett Hampton who made the difference as he shared a brilliant seventh-wicket stand of 129 with his veteran captain, Jeet Raval.
Sun had greeted the teams at Saxton Oval when Raval had won the toss, asking Dane Cleaver to field first.
Cleaver was once again standing in to captain in this format as regular Stags white-ball skipper Tom Bruce had injured himself in the Plunket Shield, and the hosts were also without the influential services of injured allrounder Doug Bracewell.
They were big twin losses for the team who nevertheless started well, Bevan Small making an early double blow and Blair Tickner and Ray Toole keeping on top of things.
But the innings was going to go pear-shaped as far as the Stags were concerned, once Raval got in and Hampton started bashing his way to an unbeaten 88 off 73 balls, putting on a finishing clinic in the death overs.
Raval had reached his half century off 67 balls and, after more than two hours, was getting close to his ton when Tickner got his wicket, Raval giving himself room only to dramatically play on, on 96.
Still, he'd done stirling work to restore order to his team's innings, having dropped down to five and come in at 49/3.
Central was set a chase of 273, almost run a ball, but only three batsmen managed to get going. The key was their flamboyant keeper-batter-captain Cleaver who cut loose with 93 until Raval caught him off Joe Walker at 186/5.
Jack Boyle (31) and Will Clark (43) had got starts too, but ND's strong and tidy attack, with Tim Pringle rejoining the team for the first appearance of the summer, was too good, and held them to 244/8 in the 50 overs.
It was just the start Northern had wanted, with their eyes on breaking a long-running title drought.
Recent Winners
2022/23 Central Stags
2021/22 Auckland Aces
2020/21 Canterbury
2019/20 Auckland Aces
2018/19 Wellington Firebirds
2017/18 Auckland Aces
2016/17 Canterbury
2015/16 Central Stags
2014/15 Central Stags
2013/14 Wellington Firebirds
2012/13 Auckland Aces
2011/12 Central Stags
2010/11 Auckland Aces
2009/10 Northern Districts
