Wearing black armbands in memory of the late SBS Bank CEO Wayne Evans, who died suddenly last week, the SBS Bank Otago Volts delivered a fitting tribute with their first win of the 2016 Ford Trophy, in a high-scoriing thriller at Whangarei's Cobham Oval.
The tight three-run win over the SKYCITY Northern Knights — that saw almost 600 runs scored in the day — keeps the Volts alive with three rounds to come. The win finally moved the Volts off the bottom rung of the points table, into fifth spot, tied on points with the fourth team with net run rate the differential.
First drop Neil Broom is the leading runscorer in this season's Ford Trophy with 259 runs from five innings, and his sixth List A century, an unbeaten 124 off 128 balls, was pivotal to the Volts breaking their season duck at a sweltering Cobham Oval.
Broom was inventive
Knights captain Daniel Flynn had put the Volts in, looking to help his seamers with early movement.
But pacemen Tony Goodin (3-57) and Brett Hampton (2-58) were made to toil hard for their rewards.
Tony Goodin picked up three wickets
Broom settled in and steered the Volts through some mid-innings wobbles after the loss of Anaru Kitchen (63 off 75 balls) with whom he had added a Volts v Knights record of 121 for the second wicket in just over 21 overs.
Broom would hit nine fours and a six, while Mark Craig capitalised with a vital 39 off 20 balls at the death, 93 runs coming from the last 10 overs in the Volts' tally of 298/6.
The early humidity was burning off, the outfield still like a luxurious carpet as Knights openers Flynn and Joe Carter, fresh from an unbeaten century for Northern Districts A, set off on the chase.
Neil Wagner led the attack, with good support
A savvy Volts bowling attack duelled with the hosts' powerhouse top order. Wagner made the opening breakthrough in the ninth over, getting Carter caught behind on 14.
Then Warren Barnes (above) trapped the dangerous opposing captain Flynn, who had already found a couple of boundaries and a six on a ground with fond memories for most of the senior Knights. Barnes would later leave the field, Bradley Scott subbing for the latter stages.
Dean Brownlie looks for the rope
After two wickets in 10 balls, Dean Brownlie would lead a solid Knights recovery with 55 off 74, sharing a 104-run stand with the busy Anton Devcich for the third wicket.
Devcich (81 off 78) and BJ Watling (below, 56 off 52) then upped the ante, working the ball well in a match that was destined to go down to the last delivery.
Watling had entered the action after Daryl Mitchell, coming off a punishing rearguard century in the previous game, had been stopped on what had been looking like a very dangerous 31 off 21 balls, including two sixes.
It was Wagner, who had suffered one of the sixes, who had enticed the catch, safely pouched by Jimmy Neesham.
BJ Watling, who had just ticked off his run-a-ball half ton, and Tim Seifert needed to find 38 off the final three overs at almost 13 per over.
The capable young Seifert produced a six that gave the local supporters the courage to believe, but the pair would fall in quick succession to Jacob Duffy (above) early in the 49th over, leaving Brett Hampton and Jono Boult with a tough assignment in the last two overs.
Jono Boult
Hampton, who can hit the ball firecely, kept them in it with an unbeaten 12 off just five balls.
Six was effectively needed off the final ball and he gave it a crack. But it was not there for him, it fell short and that was that.
A crunch round six of the Ford Trophy takes place this Wednesday 13 January. The Knights, desperately needing to add to their sole win, remain in Whangarei to host the second-placed Devon Hotel Central Stags at Cobham Oval — the Stags now with a possibility of overtaking leaders Canterbury in this round.
BLACKCAP Ish Sodhi has joined the Knights for the key match.
Canterbury hosts the Mondiale Auckland Aces at Hagley Oval, Christchurch; while the Volts will be looking to keep themselves on a back half roll at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, against the Firebirds in an arm wrestle to hold onto fourth spot
All matches start at 11am and are livescored at blackcaps.co.nz
