2019/20 GRAND FINAL
Auckland Aces beat Otago Volts by two wickets
Champions: AUCKLAND ACES
Eden Park Outer Oval | Auckland
16 February 2020
The Auckland Aces were the summer's top qualifiers, but a stellar cast would be made to work hard for their second Ford Trophy in the space of three seasons as the Volts showed they are a force to be reckoned with on the white-ball cricket scene.
To begin with, everything seemed to be going right for the Otago Volts as they took on the strong squad in the big dance at Eden Park Outer Oval.
The Aces had all their big guns back - Marty Guptill back to partner with Colin Munro at the top, Mark Chapman, new BLACKCAPS star Kyle Jamieson, Glenn Phillips - and not to mention Lockie Ferguson, Jeet Raval and a squad so jam-packed with talent that regular captain Craig Cachopa was named as 13th man with Robbie O'Donnell taking on the duties again. Lesser known faces like rookie spinner Louie Delport would play their role, too, in a disciplined side in which everyone would execute their role.
But it was Volts captain Jacob Duffy who won the toss on a flat deck, batting first on an overcast but eventually warm Eden Park mid-February Sunday.
Young left-armer Ben Lister went into the match for the Aces as the season's top wicket-taker and Hamish Rutherford accorded him some respect in a watchful first over. But the boundaries immediately began to flow from his bat against new-ball partner Jamieson.
By the fifth over Rutherford was in, blasting his first six off Lister in an over that cost 16: the Volts' 50 would be up on the board in no time as the veteran left-hander and Mitch Renwick got their side up and off to a fast start.
Until, that is, speed man Lockie Ferguson came on in the seventh over.
Non-striker Renwick was run out by a brilliant running side-on throw from Munro as Renwick tried to scramble a single.
Just two balls later, Ferguson dug it in and the bouncer appeared to glance hard off Rutherford's glove into the badge of his helmet.
The blow was enough to put Rutherford out for the rest of the match: after failing a concussion test, he was substituted by Matt Bacon in the order (meaning 12 players would eventually bat for the side) - a brutal end to Rutherford's power start that had produced 36 runs off just 25 balls.
Neil Broom as always was a capable replacement, but would not be permitted to kick on: the dangerous striker was caught on 39 off Mark Chapman in the 26th, albeit with the Volts still tracking nicely at 150 for three.
However, they did forget to pack that lucky charm.
Nick Kelly had suffered a golden duck against Jamieson, leaving Dean Foxcroft to fashion a 48-run stand for the fourth with Broom - but there would be a second lengthy disruption in the middle after a hard collision between Glenn Phillips and Foxcroft felled the batsman who had copped it in the soft spot where the jaw meets the neck.
The solidly built Foxcroft eventually got to his feet, but left the field retired - not out - to recuperate at... you guessed it, that unlucky number of 111/2 in the 18th over.
Both disruptions had come just as key partnerships were starting to blossom, and it hurt the Volts' momentum - even though Foxcroft, unlike the luckless Rutherford, was at least later able to resume his innings.
Phillips was to play a pivotal role for the Aces.
After Chapman had claimed the massive wicket of Broom, the golden arm came on and picked up a wicket with just his fourth ball.
He then outfoxed Nathan Smith - stumped cheaply in the 31st, before adding Michael Rippon caught behind cheaply as well, for his career-best figures of 3-40 off eight.
And Glenn Phillips has just gone bang-bang. First, the ACES off-spinner traps Josh Finnie in front. Then Nathan Smith gets in a tangle and Ben Horne whips of the bails.
β Auckland Cricket (@aucklandcricket) February 16, 2020
Volts 170/5 (31) | LIVE SCORECARD | https://t.co/8nwFhZmCRw#FollowSuit #FordTrophy
π₯ @skysportnz pic.twitter.com/6KFrRL7QDq
Having also held the stinging grab at point that dismissed Broom, and later ticking past his 1000th List A run, he was thoroughly enjoying his Grand Final day out in the park.
After a tight period for the ACES, Mark Chapman gets the big wicket of Neil Broom for 39.
β Auckland Cricket (@aucklandcricket) February 16, 2020
Volts 151/3 (26) | LIVE SCORECARD | https://t.co/8nwFhZEdJ4#FollowSuit #FordTrophy
π₯@skysportnz pic.twitter.com/K1M7TNrxeP
Meanwhile, Foxcroft had resumed his knock. The match situation was now tempered by wickets, however, and he needed to re-establish.
After he fell on 42 (51 balls) at 178 for six, the Volts were under pressure to post a defendable target.
The run rate that had started so well dipped as the Volts attempted to regather some composure, and set themselves up to bat out their 50 to give themselves their best chance.
The experience of Anaru Kitchen against his old team came to the fore.
He teed off magnificently into the service station across the road as they began to cause the Aces some frowns and frustration, the hosts having been keen to finish their job quickly.
Kitchen would eventually be skittled at the death by Ferguson, but his calm 54-ball 60 was invaluable, sharing a 58-run stand with his captain Duffy who chipped in a run-a-ball 24, including a six of his own to break the shackles.
They had helped get their side up to a total of 283, a runout in the 49th stopping the scorecard with two balls to go.
THE CHASE IS ON!
The Aces now knew they needed just a tad under a run a ball to claim the title they last won two seasons ago - and, at Eden Park Outer Oval, that shouldn't have daunted their star-studded cast of top order batsmen.
However, the early fall of both Martin Guptill and Jeet Raval had the visitors elated.
Duffy had struck the massive initial blow with Guptill caught second ball of the innings by Foxcroft.
The ever threatening Colin Munro remained, of course - and the powerful striker would treat the home supporters to a magnifcent bomb show until Duffy eventually played party pooper again.
Colin Munro has just cleared the Merv Wallace Stand!
β Auckland Cricket (@aucklandcricket) February 16, 2020
Back-to-back sixes for the left-hander and the ACES go past 100.
ACES 100/2 (14) | Volts 283 | LIVE SCORECARD | https://t.co/8nwFhZmCRw#FollowSuit #FordTrophy
It was a lengthy wait. Munro struck seven sixes and 12 boundaries in his ninth List A century as he punched 104 off just 60 balls.
He wasn't fussy as to whom he pelted them off, but when Duffy brought himself back into the attack in the 21st over, he finally had Munro's massive wicket, first ball of his spell.
Despite the explosiveness, at 149 for four it was a slightly uncomfortable blip for the Aces as Duffy conceded just a single off the rest of the over, before Michael Rippon followed suit and kept things tight.
They built pressure for a few overs and crucially disrupted the flow of runs.
When O'Donnell was sharply run out in the 27th, the Aces still needed 111 runs at just under five.
A few more tight overs, a few more wickets would now make things interesting indeed, Chapman and Ben Horne left in charge in the middle for the hosts.
It's a real arm wrestle in Auckland. The Aces need 89 from 19 overs with 5 wickets in hand! π
β Otago Cricket (@OtagoVolts) February 16, 2020
LIVE SCORING | https://t.co/Kku4fTxAHx#OurOtago
They duly picked off a boundary per over as the heat of the day began to fade, the clock ticking past 5.30pm with 95 runs still be found off the last 20 overs.
While the required run rate never threatened to deny the Aces the title, the loss of wickets was a different story.
The Volts kept fighting back in a tense finish, and got the hosts eight down. Nathan Smith hit his mark with a wicket maiden in the 41st, whilst the Aces still needing 31 runs.
Crucially, Mark Chapman remained at the crease.
Cracking Final of #FordTrophy
β Mike Hesson (@CoachHesson) February 16, 2020
The best I have seen @manuz05 bat for a little while, back to his best (104 off 60) .... captain @Jacobduffman27 was inspirational with the ball for the Volts but #markchapman was composed for @aucklandcricket till the end πππ
.#volts #aces
Calmly sharing the strike with Lister, he pelted a six off Matt Bacon's 42nd to ease the pressure. Then, after seeing off another tight over from Smith, piled into Dean Foxcroft's 44th. Whilst Foxcroft dotted down for his first two deliveries, back to back sixes off the next two balls all but sealed the deal.
Another dot, then Chapman (84* off 78) swung hard again and as the ball sailed beyond the bank for his fourth six, the Aces had won their second Ford Trophy title in the space of three seasons - and this time, at home sweet home.
