Central Stags beat Canterbury by 2 wickets in Palmerston North
A gripping game, full of twists and turns, fightbacks and counterpunches between last year’s champions and this year’s front-runners — both sharp teams coming off solid wins — went down to the final over in balmy Palmerston North.
Winning the toss and batting first on a deck that flattened as the day heated up, Canterbury recovered from a shaky start that had seen them in peril at 72 for five to ultimately post a challenging 286 for seven — thanks to the veteran rearguard of Todd Astle (62) and Andrew Ellis (an unbeaten 93) and a delightful career best 77 off just 43 balls from Kyle Jamieson at eight.
STATCHAT: Andrew Ellis/Kyle Jamieson's 124 is a new record seventh wicket partnership for Canterbury v Central Stags (previous record: Michael Papps/Kruger van Wyk 77) as well as for Canterbury v all teams (previous record: Rob Nicol/Ronnie Hira 91)
He may have deserved one, but captain Ellis couldn’t quite get up for his ton in the final over while Jamieson was run out going for an obligatory second run off the last ball of the innings — a missed run that Canterbury would surely later rue.
The Stags turned on a determined run chase for their Palmerston North supporters, both openers — George Worker (53, below) and Ben Smith — securing half centuries with anchorman Smith batting into the 40th over for his 82.
As the required run rate moved towards double digits, captain Will Young reached 57 at better than run-a-ball pace thanks to a huge six planted into the carpark, while Ford Trophy debutant Christian Leopard’s bright cameo saw the 20-year-old peel four consecutive boundaries off Ellis, and a six off Matt Henry for good measure before Henry had his revenge next ball, the RPO swiftly racheted down again before it had got totally out of control.
Canterbury meanwhile kept themselves in the game with wickets, until the Stags needed 10 off the last over with their last three in hand.
Ryan McCone scrambled a single first ball to put Adam Milne on strike, who found the boundary before being caught off a change of pace the very next delivery — now there were just two wickets in hand, and big Jamieson on the charge with the ball.
Ajaz Patel was the new batsman on the spot and immediately launched into a full-blooded pull shot that he top-edged and streakily it flew away behind him to the rope, tying the scores, before he knocked off the tense two-wicket win with just one ball to spare next ball.
Auckland Aces beat Northern Districts by 82 runs in Whangarei
Scorecard
ND had gone into this home match having just overtaken the Aces on the table for second courtesy of an outstanding run chase — while the Aces had dropped to fourth after a bad loss. By the end of the day, the Aces were back in second slot, and ND was jostled back into a close third.
The Aces’ dominant victory in Northland started with captain Cachopa getting his wish to bat first on a belter, his top order all getting starts before Mark Chapman cashed in for a pacey 71.
Cachopa got close to a half ton himself as they built a platform from which the remaining order could launch themselves into the flurry that is the death, getting their side up to 299 for eight on the big ground.
ND got off to a sound start of their own in reply, but — after having been 64 without loss — the wickets started tumbling, with only Daryl Mitchell (50 off 53) able to resist.
Nethula turned it on a five-wicket bag. PHOTOSPORT
Tarun Nethula who ripped out a career best 5-57 was superb through the middle, creating loads of pressure as the pitch started to slow up.
Michael Barry was an excellent accomplice before returning to finish off the innings in his final over with figures of 4-42, also a career best.
Wellington Firebirds beat the Otago Volts by 3 wickets in Wellington
The Otago Volts put together 272 at the Basin after being sent in, a team effort highlighted by captain Rob Nicol’s 40 at the top and 62 off just 48 from a recharged Jimmy Neesham.
When they had their hosts 62 for four in reply, all odds were surely on the southerners biting back with a win.
But they hadn’t reckoned on Malcolm Nofal, who steered the Volts back into the match with his maiden Ford Trophy century, 108 off 111 — seven boundaries and four sixes in the show-stopping display.
Peter Younghusband, who blasted away to a maiden half century, unbeaten; and Ollie Newton (a List A career best 35* off 29) then made sure the Firebirds got home in good time to keep their side in fourth spot on the points table, just ahead of the Volts on net run rate.
Just a few of the highlights as @MalcolmNofal, @pfyounghusband, and @newol818 brought us home today. #FordTrophy #BirdsOnFire pic.twitter.com/cjhKcIMtOV
— Wellington Firebirds (@wgtnfirebirds) January 31, 2018
ROUND SIX of The Ford Trophy takes place 11am this Sunday in Invercargill (Volts v Stags), Wellington (Firebirds v Aces) and Whangarei (Northern Districts v Canterbury).
