TWO
Number of washouts without a ball bowled. Dunedin and the Basin were under water which means the match in Hamilton was effectively a double pointer for the winner. Defending champs the Central Stags, nought from two going into Seddon Park, were up for that.
720
Number of days since Kieran Noema-Barnett had last pulled on a Stags shirt. The former captain, who left to take up a County contract with Gloucestershire after winning the 2015 Ford Trophy Final, had been playing club cricket in Napier when he answered an emergency call from the Stags whose pace bowling stocks have been further ravaged by Ben Wheeler’s sore back. “Barney” fronted with 1-56 off his 10 and slammed a straight six pretty much first ball.
186
Josh Clarkson’s Ford Trophy season average, top of the pops. Next best is Luke Woodcock’s 155. Woodcock is 34. Josh Clarkson has just turned 20. Doing the business down the order.
50
Number of List A matches with Ish Sodhi in them. 23 of them have been for ND, the balance for the BLACKCAPS or New Zealand A. Coming off one of the greatest bowling performances in BBL history (6-11 for the Adelaide Strikers), the on-fire leggie now has 63 List A one-day wickets, a best of 4-10 for NZ A and bowled outstandingly again in Hamilton.
200
The DLS target for the Stags after rain stoppages reduced their chase to 33 overs, a required run rate of almost nine. Also the number of laps by the groundsmen who did an outstanding job keeping Seddon Park in play through numerous squalls.
TWO
Percentage odds WASP gave the Stags of winning after 29 overs.
34
Number of runs Clarkson and number nine Seth Rance smashed from two clutch overs to get the Stags in touch, blasting 64 runs for the eighth wicket in little more than five overs. Do not adjust your sets. This is not T20 cricket. This is the new One-Day cricket.
NINE
Number of sixes Clarkson has boomed so far. Three big ones under pressure in the Tron means that Auckland Ace Sean Solia, with 10, is the only player with more than the young man with the long levers.
FIVE
Number of rounds left before the Finals. Eden Park Outer Oval (Aces v Stags), the Basin Reserve (Firebirds v Canterbury) and Cobham Oval in Whangarei (ND v Volts) are the places to be from 11am this Wednesday.
