Eighteen runs of doom: the Mighty Ape Wellington Firebirds’ last hopes of defending their Georgie Pie Super Smash title were consigned to history after the Canterbury Kings waltzed to victory at a mist-shrouded Basin Reserve.
The Firebirds had needed to win all three of their remaining regular season games to stay alive, and were set an asking rate of 7.3 runs per over to do so after the Canterbury Kings posted exactly 145 in their 20 overs.
Although the hosts were without injured pace import Jade Dernbach and Craig Cachopa (ushering in 25-year-old England International Scott Borthwick on debut), the Kings had got off to a rocky start after being sent in, Dane Hutchinson striking with his third ball as Michael Papps snaffled a fine catch at slip to remove Cameron Fletcher, the visitors 4/1 in the second over.
But when a big Aiden Blizzard six over long on helped peel 13 off Matt Taylor in the fifth over, the shackles were broken just long enough for the Kings’ big-hitters to make the difference.
Peter Fulton unleashed two sixes before being caught short of the rope, and one ball later there was a shockwave around the Basin as Henry Nicholls departed for a golden duck, caught behind off Anurag Verma (3-34).
Opener Blizzard (41 off 37) then paired with Ronnie Hira, whose 40-ball 57 ensured the Kings got to a par score in tricky conditions — despite the sterling efforts of Jeetan Patel who, despite having been despatched over the rope by Fulton, turned in a lean 1-18 off his four overs for the afternoon.
In reply for the Firebirds, Tom Blundell was elevated to open and produced a career-best 60 off 48 balls: his maiden Georgie Pie Super Smash fifty. But by the time he was dismissed in the 15th over, it was clear his team’s backs were against the wall after the Kings' well-marshalled attack hit their mark in unison.
Big gun Stephen Murdoch had struggled for just nine runs, then Matt Henry quickly shot down the potential firepower of fellow BLACKCAP Luke Ronchi, caught looking for the midwicket boundary.
Matt Taylor swung his bat to give the Firebirds a last chance, but Kings captain Hira completed a good day out with two quick wickets to expose the tail, the Firebirds falling apart and eventually petering to 127/9, despite Taylor's late burst.
Said Kings captain Hira, “Those guys at the top of the order — Papps, Blundell and Murdoch, were big wickets for us and then we just tried to strangle them, and got there in the end.
"The breeze was a bit difficult, and it was a difficult wicket, but having Matt Henry back for us today really added something for us.”
The Kings, leaping to third on the points table but only two points behind the leaders, now head home to Hagley Oval where they will take on Australia’s Sydney Thunder on Friday in a festival T20, before gaining the services of Australians Michael Hussey and Shane Watson from Thunder for their must-win showdown against the Devon Hotel Central Stags on Sunday, 3pm at the same ground.
Said Hira, “They’ll have Mahela Jayawardene of course, who’s been in great nick.
"We haven’t done that well at Hagley Oval, but we’re on a bit of a hot run now. We’ve won three in a row and taken down the Aces and the Volts who are at the top of the table, so we’re a good hope still of making the Finals. We’re playing well and just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”
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