The Mighty Ape Wellington Firebirds’ Georgie Pie Super Smash campaign is back on track after a potent top order and fired-up attack helped them turn their tide to get the better of the Devon Hotel Central Stags by 26 runs at Saxton Oval.
Scorecard
Opting to bat in front of a good crowd bathing in Nelson sunshine, the Firebirds chalked up an aggressive 175/9, propelled by an explosive 51-run opening stand between captain Michael Papps (36 off 17) and Michael Pollard (25 off 24).
Spinner Marty Kain, who would prove the most economical of the Stags’ attack with a lean return of 1-17, had opened the attack at a cost of just two runs, but Papps launched fearlessly into his work against the quick Adam Milne.
Despite being hurried up by Milne’s first delivery, with Pollard playing a support role they took 11 off Milne’s first over and 17 off his second, Papps clearly relishing the duel against genuine pace.
It was the relatively mild-mannered Seth Rance who made the breakthrough, just after the opening pair had delivered a 27-ball 50 partnership.
But despite the quick exit of Craig Cachopa in Papps’s wake, their platform allowed number four Stephen Murdoch to settle in for an influential impact on the remainder of the innings.
Murdoch earned his second Cricket Express MVP award of the season with a cool-headed 45-ball 70 — holding the Firebirds together until the last over, despite a relatively quick succession of partners. His fifty came off just 30 balls, including three sixes and three fours.
Rance would go on to claim 3-32 for the hosts and Claydon was a force at the death, keeper Kruger can Wyk running to the edge of the circle to pocket the huge skied edge that cued Murdoch’s last-over departure.
Two balls later, van Wyk was in the action again as he ran out Jade Dernbach for a duck as the Stags fought to hold the Firebirds back ahead of their chase.
The Firebirds reckoned their 175/9 to be a little short of their expectations, but it was certainly a defendable tally and they made sure of it by putting the heat on the Stags straight away in the chase.
Needing an 8.80 RPO, the Stags were quickly in trouble, losing their key wickets early.
Brent Arnel got one through a frustrated George Worker’s defences and the impressive Dernbach, in his first game for the Firebirds this season, ecstatic to pick up Will Young — who was coming off an innings of 96 in Auckland, caught and bowled on three before he got going.
Captain van Wyk would knuckle down to keep his hopes alive, just, with a run-a-ball 38, but the required run rate continued to climb on him and this time no one could produce the big-hitting, rearguard rescue act at the other end to dig them out of trouble.
Coming off two losses, Murdoch described the victory as a “crucial” one for his side.
“Pappsy struck it beautifully at the top and really set the tone. We’re two from four now so we’ve given ourselves a chance on a pretty congested table.”
The Stags meanwhile will be bolstered by star import Mahela Jayawardene, who arrived from Sri Lanka mid-game to catch the second innings.
Umpire Kathy Cross officiated in the middle, only the second time in New Zealand history that a female umpire has stood in a men’s domestic Twenty20 fixture. Cross is understood to have been the first in the world to do so in the 2006/07 season.
Today’s televised match (SKY, 7.10pm) sees the SKYCITY Northern Knights host the Mondiale Auckland Aces at Seddon Park, while Saxton Oval switches to international mode with the WHITE FERNS playing Sri Lanka in the second of three T20 Internationals.
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