10
Number of points separating the table with just two rounds to go. With bonus points available, that means every team is still in it — just like the closing stages of the McDonald’s Super Smash, and who saw that coming. It’s a tougher road now for the lowest ranked Volts (coming off a big win in the South) and Stags but, with two Stags games coming up at the Pukekura Park and the tempting possibility of bonus point wins, no one should be inking in the final four just yet.
11
Number of century stands (or better) so far, three of them in the latest round — two in same game. George Worker and Will Young put on exactly 100 for the Stags’ second wicket at the Basin before weather blew it all away, while in the Hagley Oval humdinger both Canterbury’s Henry Nicholls and Jack Boyle (115 for the second wicket) and Northern Districts’ Tim Seifert and Daryl Mitchell (104 for the sixth) kept their teams in the game. The highest season stand has been Marty Guptill and Glenn Phillips’s scorching 208 at Eden Park… in a match that was won by just four runs!
Big partnerships count. PHOTOSPORT
Three
Number of victims required for Luke Woodcock left reach 100 List A one-day wickets. Yet another epic milestone on the menu for the popular Wellington Firebirds off-spinning all-round loyal legend. With the Firebirds currently top of the table and with Finals looming, there’s every chance he’ll have the time to do it.
#WoodcockAppreciationSociety PHOTOSPORT
100
Also the number of List A wickets now in the bag for his Firebirds ally Hamish Bennett. The capital weather may have restricted the round six abandonment at the Basin to just 30 overs and two wickets all up, but that was enough for Bennett to swoop — claiming Jesse Ryder, caught, as his 100th.
Four
Yes we’re talking about Sean Solia. Again. But hey, he’s been amazing. Four is the official number of half centuries or better so far for the Auckland Ace in his maiden season. If you bent the rules and counted the three half-tons making up his whopping first round century on debut, that would be six 50s from five innings (which would be super impressive, but completely throw out the law and order of a statistician’s world). Still — punching! In his other innnings, against Canterbury in Rangiora, he made just two, denting his current List A average of 93. Oh so sad. Solia’s 11 sixes are the most in the 2017 Ford Trophy, matched by Central Stag Josh Clarkson.
Nine
Number of List A centuries by George Worker who was looking fine on an unbeaten 80 when weather stopped play in Wellington. One of those was in last season’s Grand Final. With 309 runs this season, he’s now The Ford Trophy’s second highest run-maker this season, after breakout star Solia’s 372.
12
Number of dismissals by The Ford Trophy’s front-running wicketkeeper Tim Seifert. The ND boombox’s 11 catches and one stumping has him way out in front of the pack, next best being Glenn Phillips with eight for the Aces. Dane Cleaver might not send the umpires a Christmas card after one of his stumpings was called a run out, but c’est le cricket. Quirky fact: Central Stag Cleaver is the only keeper to have kept for his side in all six rounds.
14
Number of wickets taken by ND pace weapon Scott Kuggeleijn to lead the comp’s tally by four (next best is Firebird Anurag Verma). Taking wickets for breakfast, lunch and dinner right now and with the second highest economy rate in the comp, 3.79 from six games behind Kyle Jamieson who played only the first round. Average is pretty fly, too: 14.35.
Two
Number of rounds left before the Finals series begins, the last showdowns coming up this Saturday and Wednesday! Schedule
