ROUND SEVEN
Otago Volts lost to Northern Districts by 66 runs in Dunedin
Scorecard
Nick Kelly’s second List A and Ford Trophy century (106 off 92 balls, six fours, seven sixes) was the highlight of Northern Districts’ solid winning tally of 341 for eight after captain Dean Brownlie had opted to bat first in Dunedin — Brownlie (56 off 51) himself adding a quick half century down the order.
The pair slathered on 126 for the fourth wicket, breaking the old mark of 112 for ND against the Volts that had been set by James and Hamish Marshall in 2001/02. The luxury of Daniel Flynn (an unbeaten 37 off just 13) batting at eight then put the icing on the ND innings, former opener Flynn slamming the death bowling.
ND then made early breakthroughs with the ball. Jimmy Neesham captained the Volts in the absence of Rob Nicol and when he fell in the 31st over, his side was five wickets down and in the danger zone as the required run rate climbed into double figures.
Derek de Boorder (77, below) and Michael Rippon staged a fightback, putting the Volts’ 200 on the board as they ticked off a 50-stand against Ish Sodhi and Daryl Mitchell operating in tandem at the crease.
The gallant stand reached 83 before Rippon became the sixth wicket to fall, Mitchell and Sodhi closing in and netting a brace of quick wickets each as ND bowled out the Volts with nine balls to spare.
ND now heads to Napier to face top seeds the Central Stags on Sunday while the Volts face a do-or-die away clash against the Aces at Eden Park Outer Oval.
