The Central Stags have held on to the top rung of the men’s one-day Ford Trophy table, while the Auckland Hearts have clinched the women’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield national title with a match to spare in today’s big-scoring super Saturday of national one-day cricket action.
Central Stags beat the Auckland Aces by 123 runs in Auckland
Scorecard
A maiden century to 21-year-old Josh Clarkson and a third List A century for 25-year-old captain Will Young was the highlight of the Central Stags emphatic, fourth-round victory over the Auckland Aces on a 29-degree scorcher at a sweltering Colin Maiden Park.
The pair poured on 211 runs to dig their team out of trouble, setting a new Central Stags record of 211 for the fifth wicket; breaking the previous Stags record of 153* set by Tony Blain and Richard Harden against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in 1990/91.
Clarkson then made his first appearance at the bowling crease since his back injury in the 2015/16 season, claiming the wicket of Donovan Grobbelaar in his first over — only the second wicket of the former NZ Under-19 player's List A career.
Dismissing the Aces for 176 in 40.3 overs wrapped up a 123-run win for the Stags, the seventh biggest winning margin (by runs) in their List A history.
Northern Districts beat the Wellington Firebirds by four wickets in Wellington
Scorecard
Northern Districts was also in record-smashing form with an impressive, successful run chase of 324 in a match that saw 644 runs scored in a single day on the Basin Reserve.
Chasing the Firebirds’ 320 for nine, ND’s reply had got off to a far from promising start with both big name openers, Tim Seifert and BJ Watling, dismissed for no score inside the first seven balls of the chase.
However, an ND record of 155 runs for the fifth wicket between captain Dean Brownlie and Daryl Mitchell (previous fifth wicket record: 137, Dion Nash and Grant Bradburn v Otago Volts at Owen Delaney Park, Taupo in 1997/98), followed by a 119-run stand for the sixth between Mitchell and Scott Kuggeleijn, powered ND through to victory with two and a half overs to spare.
PHOTOSPORT
Mitchell (above) was unbeaten in a career best 126 not out off 101 balls (10 fours, 5 sixes); the victory puts ND in clear second on The Ford Trophy table.
Milestones
- Wellington Firebird Michael Bracewell reached 2000 List A runs
- Dean Brownlie and Daryl Mitchell record List A 5th wicket partnership for Northern Districts v Wellington Firebirds. Previous best 96 by Matthew Hart and Joey Yovich at the Basin Reserve Wellington, 2004/05 Dean Brownlie and Daryl Mitchell record List A 5th wicket partnership for Northern Districts v all teams
- Daryl Mitchell 3rd List A Century
- Daryl Mitchell and Scott Kuggeleijn record List A 6th wicket partnership for Northern Districts v Wellington Firebirds. Previous best 105* by James Marshall and Corey Anderson at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, 2011/12
Canterbury beat the Otago Volts by eights wickets in Dunedin
Scorecard
In Dunedin, Canterbury meanwhile clinched an eight-wicket victory over the Otago Volts to complete an unsuccessful day out for the home teams across the country, chasing down the Volts’ 254 with Chad Bowes registering his List A career best score, an unbeaten 112 off 126 balls — his third List A century, but maiden effort for Canterbury with his two previous one-day centuries having been scored for Kwa-Zulu in South African cricket.
ROUND FIVE of The Ford Trophy takes place this Wednesday in Palmerston North (Stags v Canterbury), Wellington (Firebirds v Volts) and Whangarei (Northern Districts v Aces).
