DAY FOUR
In the last half hour of the season, last match still alive, as the light began to pack its bags at McLean Park, the Aces and Stags kept playing.
On the line for the Stags was the opportunity to finish the season strongly by becoming the only team all summer to defeat the new Plunket Shield champions.
At stake for the Aces was not just the unbeaten tag, but a quest to farewell their captain Michael Bates with a win to cap the incredible season.
Auckland captain Michael Bates heading out to bat in his final innings. NZC
Drinks, morning session: Mondiale Auckland Aces 155/7, leading by 87 runs. Donovan Grobbelaar had just punched three consecutive boundaries to reach 33*, batting with captain Michael Bates.
And, the side wanted wickets, not the least because they thought their outstanding keeper Brad Cachopa deserved a shot at clinching the Plunket Shield season dismissals record — after the first innings, just one away from equalling Derek de Boorder’s mark.
Don’t let anyone tell you they had nothing to play for. They had fought all day, firstly as their lower order put their heads down to get as many runs as possible on the board after the Stags had put them in a pickle the evening prior.
Doug Bracewell created early chances that went begging and was left unrewarded, while Blair Tickner showed promising glimpses of an ability to marry some venom to his high, classic action. Michael Bates took a nasty blow to the elbow. Donovan Grobbelaar took one to the ribs.
Grobbelaar, with his renowned stickability, was the one they really wanted. He had resumed that morning alongside his backline buddy Tarun Nethula, and reached his half century after lunch, having gone in on 49* with the Aces 186/7.
Oops. Out
Nethula would be the sole wicket of the fighting morning session — trapped by Navin Patel, the young seamer’s fourth victim en route to his second and economical five-wicket bag in a promising debut season.
Gritty Gobbelaar’s team would have dearly loved him to add a second first-class century to his maiden effort from the last match, and the circumstances again were in place to permit it.
It would take a chaotic running mix-up to get rid of him — a certain bonus for the Stags.
But then the tailenders fought, standing up with a punchy 67-run stand for the last wicket. Matt Quinn, transforming himself from loping number eleven to thunderous hitter of sixes as he planted his front foot half way up the crease and gave it the full heave to take full advantage of an attacking field.
Number 11 Matt Quinn putting Ajaz Patel into the stand in a 50-run partnership for the last wicket. NZC
He gave it death, and thumped Ajaz Patel into the Harris Stand.
Matt Quinn hit two sixes in his gung-ho knock. NZC
Lockie Ferguson (an unbeaten 31 off 56) appeared to be inspired by his batting mate (35 off 47) and their pumping last stand gave the Aces an important buffer: by the time Quinn’s luck ran out, a lead of 199 was just serious enough to be something to bowl at.
All out for 266, then. Target 199. Game on.
At tea, the Stags were 21 without loss, requiring a further 178 to win.
Opening accountant Ben Smith flies under the radar when talk turns to prodigious top order batsmen in New Zealand. The almost slight, unshowy anchor gets overshadowed by the flashy Will Youngs and Tom Bruces, but he is the Stags’ top runmaker of the summer — and took his mark for the last time needing 122 to crack 1000 first-class runs in a season.
While it would have taken a significant exercise in strike-hogging given the scale of the target, the proposal would otherwise have been realistic given his propensity to stay put.
Smith tapped away and grew a 100-run opening stand with Greg Hay that helped ease traditional early nerves about chasing small targets. They were coasting.
Greg Hay drew on all his experience. NZC
But, just as imminent fifties had seemed on the cards for both of them, Nethula got Smith out on 49 — and the aggressive, relentless Aces suddenly began to climb back into it.
Seasoned Hay carried on to 72, but he lost Mitch Renwick (above) before he became Nethula’s third straight victim.
A clump of wickets made it very interesting, and gave the match one last frisson of tension.
Tarun Nethula has enjoyed a special season and he would leave it on a good note.
Stags captain Will Young was positive. NZC
Will Young danced up the wicket to hit a beautiful straight six, but Nethula was fired up, and would walk off the park not only with a class five-for (5-73), but 201 first-class wickets.
Ben Smith's wicket had seen Cachopa equal the Plunket Shield record for season dismissals. NZC
The 200th arrived when Young, dancing again, this time missed it, stumped well out of his ground.
The milestone for Nethula formed a double celebration: the stumping had given Cachopa the outright season dismissals record, as the Aces were clearly aware as they descended on the diminutive gloveman with pride.
Tom Bruce walked out with the look of a determined game-winner, and promptly got on with it, spinning into his punishing pull shots.
He would lose Doug Bracewell as Nethula nabbed his five-for, and, with just a few overs and the last remains of the light up their sleeve, the tension did not dissipate until finally he and Nav Patel crossed the last line.
The Aces' top wicket-taker, keeper, co-captains and leading runscorer of a champion season. PHOTOSPORT
The 2015/16 season saw the champion Aces finish with six wins, three draws and the last hour loss. Plenty to celebrate, and two trophies for the cabinet after their Georgie Pie Super Smash success earlier in the season.
For the Stags, there would be the star turn of little heralded offspinner Ajaz Patel standing up as the season’s top wicket-taker (matching injured Stags teammate Seth Rance, who had been the top Ford Trophy wicket-taker).
Patel finished with a greedy haul of 43 victims, despite playing only eight of the 10 rounds, having started the season on the bench.
Not even Nethula’s best efforts in the final innings could rein him in, although Nethula finished next best on the list for a spinners’ quinella with 39 wickets from nine matches.
Seamer Navin Patel’s five-for meanwhile snuck him into the season’s top 10 wicket-takers, a notable achievement in his debut summer and a godsend to the Stags, who had headed into the Shield having lost three frontline bowlers in Rance, Andrew Mathieson and Ben Wheeler to injury.
Taking the full 20 points from the last match, the Stags would finish second to last on the table, just two points short of overhauling the SKYCITY Northern Knights.
Report: NZC
DAY THREE
Stumps score: Mondiale Auckland Aces 110/6 (second innings; Michael Guptill-Bunce 42, Robbie O'Donnell 35; Navin Patel 3-30) leading by 42. Earlier: Devon Hotel Central Stags 464 all out (Ben Smith 161, Dane Cleaver 41, Doug Bracewell 75; Lockie Ferguson 3-62, Tarun Nethula 3-115, Donovan Grobbelaar 3-70)
Heading into the last day of the first-class summer, a strong day with the bat and ball from the Devon Hotel Central Stags sees them in a commanding position at home.
On a surface that, until this afternoon, had dramatically favoured the batsmen, the Mondiale Auckland Aces came unstuck in dramatic fashion.
Earlier in the day, opener Ben Smith had once again led from the front for the Central Stags, and has a knack of going big when he reaches three figures.
He made his fifth Plunket Shield ton a big one, finding several willing partners as he pushed on. Quickfire runs late from Doug Bracewell were key in giving the Stags a helpful lead. Skipper Will Young most probably would have liked more than a 68-run cushion, but the buffer proved more than enough to trouble Auckland in the last session as the weather began to cloud over, and turn cool.
Central had luck with the new ball on the first day and it once again worked for them against the Aces’ top order.
Jeet Raval leaves the stage after a 10,000-run season. NZC
Jeet Raval (10), Michael Guptill-Bunce and Robbie O’Donnell were all able to get starts, but none was able to provide the guiding hand their side needed.
Michael Guptill-Bunce is bowled by Liam Dudding, ending his breakthrough summer with the bat. NZC
The trio represent the top run-scorers for Auckland in the Plunket Shield season. Raval finished his account on 780, Guptill-Bunce on 859 and O’Donnell 721.
Flamboyant O’Donnell came close to playing the calm hand needed, but after the quick wickets of Brad Cachopa and Shawn Hicks, was also unable to hang on.
In a dominant period for the Stags, Colin de Grandhomme was also unable to keep his wicket, and had to follow on O’Donnell’s heels.
The experienced duo of Tarun Nethula and Donovan Grobbelaar were suddenly tasked with taking the day to a close and nursing Auckland’s lead.
The pair of calm heads safely took their side to the end of the day and notched a lead of 42. The final day suddenly sees the Aces needing some tricks up their sleeve if they are to achieve their final goal of finishing the season unbeaten, while the Stags have a golden opportunity to prove a point and finish on a high from the lower reaches of the table.
Spirit of cricket as the Aces applaud a strong end to the day for their opponents. NZC
DAY TWO
Stumps score: Devon Hotel Central Stags 280/4 (Ben Smith 126 not out, Greg Hay 46, Tom Bruce 48) trail by 116 in the first innings. Earlier: Mondiale Auckland Aces 396 all out
On a batsman-friendly surface the Devon Hotel Central Stags were able to build through the second day thanks to several strong partnerships. Leading the Stags was Auckland-based opener Ben Smith, who notched his fifth first-class century.
First up in the day, however, the Mondiale Auckland Aces’ final-wicket pairing of Lockie Ferguson and Matt Quinn was able to briefly frustrate the Stags, and add a few more runs onto the side’s overnight total.
They couldn’t hang around for long, though, the Aucklanders eventually all out for 396 as Ferguson gave Blair Tickner his only wicket for the innings.
Central then had a good slice of the morning to get their chase going. The opening duo of Ben Smith and Greg Hay was able to ease things along well for the home side, the pair bringing up a 50 run stand shortly before the lunch interval in Napier.
However, after lunch and just short of their next milestone, Donovan Grobbelaar was able to provide the breakthrough the Aces were eagerly seeking.
Hay was dismissed caught behind and it edged Brad Cachopa closer to the record for most keeper dismissals in a Plunket Shield season.
Hay’s wicket also provided one of the only purple patches of the day for the Aces as Matt Quinn was able to dismiss new man Mitch Renwick in the very next over.
But Central skipper Will Young was quick to stamp out any Auckland thoughts of collapse as he hung on with Smith.
Smith made his way past 50 after the Stags reached 100, and then he and Young were able to enjoy a fifty partnership.
The pair also saw the Stags past 150 before Young lost his wicket to Tarun Nethula on 29.
Smith was joined by another useful Stag in Tom Bruce, and the pair combined to keep the Stags ticking along well again.
Late in the afternoon, Smith was able to reach his three figures. He had had to wait through the 90s and pick his moments to score as Auckland looked to put the squeeze on. Then, after the 100 milestone, Smith and Bruce celebrated a 50 partnership of their own.
The Aces were given hope by the arrival of the new ball, but Smith and Bruce looked to be handling things well as they first notched 250 for Central and then a hundred-run partnership.
Things came unstuck for Bruce on 48 as Ferguson found the edge of his bat and Jeet Raval’s safe hands claimed the catch. Dane Cleaver then joined Smith and helped the set man take Central to the close at 280/4. Central are still 116 runs from drawing level with the Aces.
DAY ONE
Stumps score: Mondiale Auckland Aces 382/9 (Jeet Raval 147, Brad Cachopa 41, Shawn Hicks career best maiden 50, Colin de Grandhomme 63; Doug Bracewell 5-60, Liam Dudding 3-85) at McLean Park, Napier 30 March 2016
Liam Dudding
Another strong performance from Jeet Raval plus a number of key contributions have the Mondiale Auckland Aces in a solid position already after day one against the Devon Hotel Central Stags — but not without a strong say from Stags BLACKCAP Doug Bracewell.
The first day of the last round finished with the Aces at 382/9, while Doug Bracewell sat on outstanding figures of 19-3-60-5.
The Stags kept at the Aces. PHOTOSPORT
Raval’s 147 was not only his 14th first-class ton, but also took him past 1000 runs for this first-class season overall (including performances for New Zealand A against Sri Lanka at the start of this summer. More statchat here). The impressive feat arrived even given the talented opener had had a tough lean period in the middle of the season — showing his ability to fight back and believe.
Raval had been looking for a partner to help build the innings after his skipper Michael Bates asked him and Michael Guptill-Bunce (who meanwhile stands a chance of 1000 runs in the Plunket Shield this season) to bat first at McLean Park.
Despite an early positive start, Guptill-Bunce fell as Bracewell enjoyed himself with the new ball in Napier, taking on the Aces' big guns of the season.
Stags pacemen Doug Bracewell and Blair Tickner. NZC
It wasn’t long before Bracewell had Robbie O’Donnell heading back under the stands, too, for just 11. But Brad Cachopa's arrival ensured the Aces were able to steady things and start building their innings.
Raval was playing a cautious hand and Cachopa proved a good foil, going past him on the scoreboard as the pair took their side to lunch at 83/2.
Classy adder of impetus: Brad Cachopa. PHOTOSPORT
However, the break proved unsettling for Cachopa with that man Bracewell providing a Stags breakthrough.
Cachopa had to go for a hard-fought 41. Not long after the wicket, Raval and new man Shawn Hicks were able to take Auckland past 100.
Raval then notched his half-century, and he and Hicks played out a big section of the early afternoon, adding a 50-partnership. Hicks was then able to reach his own half-century: his first in first-class cricket.
Unfortunately for the young allrounder, he lost his wicket shortly after reaching the milestone: now it was up to the experienced duo of Raval and Colin de Grandhomme to guide the Aces to tea.
The pair was able to do just that, and bring up 200 for Auckland before the break, and would push on well as they mixed their well-known boundary hitting abilities with singles and twos to keep unsettling the locals
Game face on, Raval posted his 14th first-class century in the last session before he and de Grandhomme were able to put together stands of 50 and then 100 for the fifth wicket.
A ravishing season for Raval. PHOTOSPORT
De Grandhomme has had a remarkable run with the bat and reached yet another Plunket Shield half century just after the visitors had hit the 300 mark.
The pair was looking to see in the new ball, but Raval was out just short of his 150. He’d reached the special 1000-run mark when on 141, before departing on 147 — giving spinner Ajaz Patel a lonely but significant reward for his toil.
The new ball saw a sharp spell from the Stags, the final 14 overs before the close of play netting them four wickets.
Aces contributions in that time from Donovan Grobbelaar, Bates, Lockie Ferguson and Matt Quinn helped to keep the Aucklanders ticking over, but Bracewell was a handful and in the process got up for his five wickets in the day.
Ferguson and Quinn, not for the first time this season, enjoyed a positive last wicket stand together. The pair was able to take their side to the close with a flourish, Matt Quinn hitting the day’s only six into the stands at McLean Park off the second-to-last ball of play.
Day one to three reports courtesy of Auckland Cricket
