A devastating spell of spin bowling from George Worker has carried the Devon Hotel Central Stags to a four-wicket win at Yarrow Stadium in Georgie Pie Super Smash tonight.
Scorecard
A day after Andy Ellis set the Canterbury Kings' record for best T20 bowling figures; George Worker had a Central Stags record, his spell of 5-10 from four overs reducing the visiting Volts from 58/0 to 90/5 and providing the impetus for the victory.
The win doubled as revenge for the Stags' opening day loss to the SBS Bank Otago Volts, putting the sides level on four competition points after their first two clashes.
After the Stags had batted first in the opening bout without much success, the decision to bowl was a good one from skipper Kruger van Wyk after winning the toss.
That decision didn’t immediately pay dividends, however, with Anaru Kitchen and Neil Broom putting on 58 for the first wicket. Despite a stable partnership, their pace wasn’t rapid — going at seven runs per over before Worker struck, removing Kitchen for 29 in the ninth over.
The fall of Kitchen’s wicket started a slump, Worker dismissing Michael Bracewell (eight), Brad Wilson (three) and Nathan McCullum (one) to outfield catches before skittling the stumps of Derek de Boorder (two).
Worker having completed his remarkable four overs, Andrew Mathieson then joined in on the action, getting the wicket of Josh Finnie for one and leaving the Volts reeling at 91/6, with just five overs remaining.
Just when the hopes of creating a defendable total looked bleak, Broom stepped up.
Having survived the Worker blitzkrieg, he upped the ante, finding a capable partner in Sam Wells (15 from 10) to blast the Volts to a below-par, but defendable, 141/8.
Broom ended unbeaten on 70, creating 50 per cent of his side’s runs and bashing five fours and three sixes on a track where the Stags' slower bowlers went for 29 from their eight overs, while the pacemen got smoked for 110 from their 12.
Broom’s bashing gave the Volts an outside chance, which they very nearly profited from in what became a tense chase.
Worker was also the star with the bat for the hosts, getting the Stags off to a great start with 42 from 25 balls, after debutant Indika Senarathne had been trapped lbw by Neil Wagner for a golden duck.
McCullum proved it wasn’t just Worker who could find spinning success on the pitch, dismissing the first-innings bowling hero before having Will Young stumped in the same over to drag the Stags back to 51/3 after seven.
Dane Cleaver
At the halfway stage, the Stags were 70/3 needing a further 72 for victory, and although Dane Cleaver’s knock (37 from 30) put them in the ascendancy, the losses of Tom Bruce (run out for a golden duck) and Van Wyk (13) threw the game back in the balance.
Needing 28 from the final four overs and down to their number seven and eight batsmen, the pressure went on 18-year old Josh Clarkson to get the Stags home.
The big youngster rose to the challenge, blasting 26 from 15 balls and getting help from Marty Kain (11 from seven) to see the Stags home with nine balls to spare.
Kruger van Wyk was a relieved captain
The Stags will get a chance to bring up another win at Yarrow Stadium on Wednesday when they host the Auckland Aces, while the Volts will look to bounce back after travelling to face the Canterbury Kings on Thursday afternoon.
The opening round of Georgie Pie Super Smash meanwhile continues tomorrow afternoon when the Kings host the Mighty Ape Wellington Firebirds at 1.10pm at Hagley Oval, live on SKY SPORT. Get your Georgie Pie Super Smash tickets online and go in the draw to win a Ford Fiesta Trend Manual*
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