Mondiale Auckland Aces claim Plunket Shield with a round to spare
New Zealand has a new first-class cricket champion.
A #plunketshield winning changing room. #aucklandboysarehappy ^BM pic.twitter.com/tEX4BPhofs
— Auckland Cricket (@aucklandcricket) March 26, 2016
Adding the finishing touches at the Basin Reserve with a powerhouse performance against the Wellington Firebirds, the unbeaten Aces this afternoon pushed themselves out of reach of all other contenders — shattering Canterbury’s dream of a title three-peat by holding the Firebirds to a draw.
Video scorecard
Adding the Plunket Shield, brought to you by Budget Rental, to the Georgie Pie Super Smash trophy they won earlier this season, the Aces now look ahead to the final round next week with a view to capping off a triumphant summer by going unbeaten through the first-class season.
The Aces took control of the final day at the Basin with a maiden century from allrounder Donovan Grobbelaar (previous best: 99) that helped push them to an imperious 598 all out in the second innings — the highest domestic total ever laid down at the Basin.
Maiden centurion Donovan Grobbelaar. PHOTOSPORT
It broke a record that had been held by Wellington since 1927/28, ironically against Auckland, by three runs. You can view the scorecard for that match here.
Needing a victory to stay alive into the final round, the Firebirds went after a huge chase of 515 — and had even been a chance at 193/1, thanks to a 144-run stand between opener Luke Woodcock (67) and Stephen Murdoch (78).
A well-used bat: Luke Woodcock. PHOTOSPORT
Once the pair was separated, record-breaking Aces wicketkeeper Brad Cachopa then added to his first innings accomplishments by claiming his eighth catch of the match in Scott Borthwick — equalling another Auckland record, after yesterday becoming the first Aces keeper to hold 40 catches in a season, which had bettered his own record mark of 39.
The Firebirds would get past 300 as the last session of the last day ebbed away, but by then they were eight down and the equation had sprinted away on them: the match destined for a draw. It was all the Aces required to confirm themselves as the new champions.
The Plunket Shield will be handed over next week, at the conclusion of round 10
Meanwhile, at Hagley Oval, Canterbury had evidently already resigned itself to its fate, shutting up shop to play out a draw against the SKYCITY Northern Knights.
Video Scorecard
The dead rubber of the round, between the bottom placed SBS Bank Otago Volts and Devon Hotel Central Stags, also ended in a draw, despite a maiden first-class century to opening batsman Ryan Duffy. Twenty-one-year-old Stags seamer Navin Patel earlier added a career best 47 to his maiden five-wicket bag.
Round 10, the last of the first-class season, begins in Wellington (Firebirds v Canterbury), Napier (Stags v Aces) and Whangarei (Knights v Volts) this Wednesday 30 March. Entry is FREE.
