Unstoppable Canterbury extended their Ford Trophy lead by downing the third-placed Mondiale Auckland Aces by 98 runs at Hagley Oval in round six, taking impressive back-to-back home and away wins over their navy blue rivals.
Back from the BLACKCAPS, Tom Latham continued to make a solid impact for his domestic team, caught just four runs shy of what would have been his third List A century, top-scoring for Canterbury with 96 and posting his 1000th List A run in the process.
It took Colin de Grandhomme's formidable mitts to dismiss Latham
Latham shared a key 82-run stand with Todd Astle, who was this week called into the BLACKCAPS Twenty20 squad to play Pakistan.
Consistent Astle made a half century himself before the rest of the order fell away, Canterbury pitching from 237/5 in the 44th over to all out for 265 in the 49th — a shaky finish, but nevertheless a respectable effort overall in the unseasonally cool conditions.
Henry Nicholls, set to become to the first Canterbury player in the Big Bash when he joins Sydney Thunder, made a run-a-ball 31
Colin de Grandhomme had had the most impact for the Aces, claiming three wickets and pouching the catch to dismiss Latham off a relieved Robbie O'Donnell (2-47), Latham and Astle having just clocked up the Canterbury 200 still only three down in the 37th over.
The Aces' attack was minus the speed and energy of Lockie Ferguson, captain Michael Bates spreading the load across his youthful attack while chipping in with 2-51 himself.
But the Canterbury tally proved more than enough after form pace bowler Ed Nuttall cracked the top off the Aces' innings, claiming 4-50 as the visitors were routed for 167.
Nuttall is the leading wicket-taker in the Ford Trophy to date with 15 wickets, two ahead of SKYCITY Northern Knights seamer James Baker; however Nuttall will miss the big clash with the Stags this Sunday with a niggle.
After his century at first drop in the previous game against Canterbury, Brad Cachopa moved up to open for the Aces at Hagley.
But the chase had got off to a rocky start with both Cachopa and Michael Guptill-Bunce lost inside the first three overs. Nuttall and Kyle Jamieson had found troubling areas early, Jamieson's exceptional height creating awkward missiles for the diminutive powerhouse Cachopa, in a one-on-one between the tallest and the smallest cricketers in New Zealand domestic cricket.
Kyle Jamieson stands tall against BLACKCAPS analyst Paul Warren and former Olympic sprinter Chris Donaldson
The wickets kept falling with only brief shimmers of stability. The first glimmer was provided by Mark Chapman (34) with Robbie O’Donnell and then Michael Barry, who was on List A debut.
Donovan Grobbelaar shared a useful partnership with Tarun Nethula to take the Aces past 100, setting an Aces record for the ninth wicket against Canterbury. Captain Michael Bates then joined Nethula and the pair was able to take their side past 150 before the spin of Astle trapped Nethula and ended the chase.
Nuttall's 4-50 against the Aces was his List A career best, while Latham equalled the Canterbury List A record for the most catches in an innings by a fieldsman (three).
Biggest talking point around Hagley Oval, however, was an outstanding reflex caught and bowled that saw Canterbury captain Andrew Ellis dismiss a set-looking Mark Chapman on 34: see it here on @blackcapsnz Instagram.
A tantalising top of the table clash awaits on Sunday at Hagley Oval with the second-placed Devon Hotel Central Stags arriving in town to try to become the first side to beat the red and black machine this Ford Trophy season.
The top four teams at the end of eight rounds make the playoffs next week.
