A tight bowling display put the Mondiale Auckland Aces into a prime position for a Georgie Pie Super Smash playoff spot, after beating the Mighty Ape Wellington Firebirds by seven wickets at the Basin Reserve.
Having lost the toss and watched Firebirds skipper Michael Papps announce his side’s plans to bat first, the Aces responded by restricting the hosts to a meagre 136/9 from their 20 overs.
Only two players passed 20 for the Firebirds, who couldn’t get going at any stage throughout the innings.
After Papps was dismissed in the second over, the in-form Stephen Murdoch showed some promise, hitting three straight fours off Donovan Grobbelaar. Michael Pollard started slowly, but soon upped the ante, making 33 from 30 as the Firebirds hoped for some big-hitting in the middle order.
Unfortunately for the bumper Basin Reserve crowd on a beautiful afternoon on the banks, the pairing of Michael Bates and Tarun Nethula halted any quick home-side run-scoring. Nethula took the wickets of Murdoch and Tom Blundell, while the duo was miserly towards Craig Cachopa, who could only make nine from 18 balls.
At 100/6 after 16 overs, the Firebirds were needing some lusty blows to post a competitive score and, although Luke Woodcock (18) and Jeetan Patel (15) added a dash of respectability to the total, the Aces were always in the box seat.
Nethula was the pick of the Auckland bowlers with 2-18 from his four overs, while Bates went for just five an over from his three.
It didn’t take long for the Aces to find ascendancy with the bat as the consistently impressive Jeet Raval got the visitors off to the start they were after.
Raval made a quickfire 36 from 25 balls, finding a partner in Rob Nicol who made 20 from 19 as a 50-run stand started the innings and set the Aces on their way to a successful chase.
The Aces’ perceived romp to victory was halted, however, when both fell in quick succession to the bowling of Patel, who then added the scalp of Brad Cachopa, bowled, to reduce Auckland to 73/3 after 10.4 overs.
That brought the aggressive, big-hitting pair of Colins to the crease – Munro and De Grandhomme, who made sure Patel’s three wickets were the only triumphs for the Wellington bowlers.
Requiring a further 64 to win, the duo took things slowly to begin with, before playing their naturally expansive shots to see Auckland home. Munro welcomed Dane Hutchinson back into the attack by putting him out of the ground to post the Aces' 100.
Both ended unbeaten on 38, Munro taking 34 balls before hitting the winning runs with a six, and de Grandhomme 26 balls to claim the seven-wicket win and Cricket Express MVP honours for the day.
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"The two Colins"
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