Hitting their straps just at the right time, the SBS Bank Otago Volts boosted their playoffs prospects with an impressive eight-wicket win against the SKYCITY Northern Knights at University Oval in round seven — the penultimate round robin match of th 2016 Ford Trophy.
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The Knights were dismissed for a modest 181 on a green surface which nipped about, as cool weather cloaked the south.
But the Volts batsmen had no such problems, cantering past the target with more than 22 overs to spare to pick up a much-needed bonus point.
The Knights took another loss against the resurgent Volts
The win saw the Volts (13 points) leapfrog the Knights (nine points) into fourth place, and victory against the Wellington Firebirds in Invercargill on Wednesday will guarantee the Volts a playoff berth.
The Volts’ most prolific batsman this season, Neil Broom (above), anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 from 76 deliveries.
Hamish Rutherford chimed in with a hard-hit 47 from 39, smacking a six to seal the win.
Earlier, Michael Bracewell was peppering the boundary on his way to 60, breaking his lean trot.
Anaru Kitchen was the only Volts batsman to miss out. The opener had a heave in the first over and nicked out.
The comprehensive victory was set up by a tidy bowling effort.
Jacob Duffy (above) picked up three wickets and was still shaping the ball right to the end, but it was Sam Wells who stood out.
He has been the bowler whom the opposition has looked to attack during the last few games, but the allrounder responded at University Oval with a disciplined bowling effort.
Wells bowled 10 overs on the trot, and was rewarded with three for 25. He gave himself the best opportunity to succeed by hitting the seam regularly and persisting with a good line and length.
He bored Knights captain Daniel Flynn into a mistake. The batsman was out caught behind, after trying to manufacture a shot — having never looked convincing, despite getting through to 34 and featuring in a 73-run stand with Knights powerhouse Dean Brownlie.
Like Brownlie, Anton Devcich has been in a run machine for the Knights in recent rounds, but on 12 this time he also ran out of patience and hit a drive straight to Rutherford.
But the ball which got BJ Watling was a cracker.
It nipped back, bowling the BLACKCAPS’ Test keeper-batsman.
Northern had their share of bad luck. Opener Joe Carter was given out lbw in the second over, although the ball appeared as if it was going on to evade leg stump by a comfortable margin.
And Brownlie was run out on 44, Jimmy Neesham hitting the stumps from 35 metres in a tight call.
Brett Hampton boosted the Knights’ total with a cameo of 35 from 33 deliveries before Duffy and Neil Wagner returned to the bowling crease to wrap up the innings.
Neil Wagner in full flight
Neesham got through five overs and hit the wicket hard. He was unlucky not to pick up Devcich's wicket when the batsmen almost chopped on.
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The win was achieved despite Volts left-armer Bradley Scott limping off after four overs with a hamstring complaint. Scott will miss the final round-robin match, but the Volts have been strengthened by the return of experienced BLACKCAPS spinner Nathan McCullum after he passed a fitness test Monday.
