The Birds are back on top!

Posted Tuesday, 19 December, 2017 in Domestic News

No Dunner stunner on the weekend, but a Uni Oval washout was enough to send defending champs the Wellington Firebirds to the top of the 2017/18 Burger King Super Smash ladder after their round two match against the Otago Volts was abandoned in Dunedin — deposing early leaders the Canterbury Kings.

The Kings had a minor mare this round, fighting hard with a magnificent fifth-wicket comeback only to go down in a big-scoring, last-over finish on a scorching Nelson Sunday to last season's front-runners and finalists, the Central Stags. The Stags snatched their first win of this summer's competition, with the ball swinging a mile! Ball of the century right here....

A post shared by Central Stags (@centralstags) on Dec 17, 2017 at 10:54pm PST

ROUND TWO RESULTS • game by game

Central Stags beat the Canterbury Kings by eight runs on Sunday:

Otago Volts and Wellington Firebirds: Points shared after match washed out without a ball bowled on Sunday; and the Knights beat Auckland Aces by 7 runs on Saturday evening; Tim Seifert's maiden century was also the fastest in the history of the comp, breaking retired Stag Jamie How's NZ domestic T20 record

SUNDAY RUN DAY

Is Ryder > Stokes?

Central Stags drawcard Jesse Ryder (138 runs from two matches) has overtaken Canterbury Kings star import Ben Stokes at the top of the run charts after the two went head-to-head in the thriller at Saxton Oval.

The Big Easy, who's been in hot form this summer in all formats, smashed the Stags to a fast start at one of his happiest hunting grounds, his 40-ball 84 threatening to break Tim Seifert's newly minted New Zealand record before he became Blake Coburn's maiden wicket in the wrist spinner's debut Burger King Super Smash appearance. Both Stokes and Seifert are in second spot with 110 runs, while Glenn Phillips (Aces), Will Young (Stags), Cole McConchie (Kings) and Cameron Fletcher (Kings) joined Ryder with half centuries in the second round.

Remarkably Seifert's maiden ton was also the first time the Knights keeper had reached a half century in the T20 format (previous career best: 41). For Stags captain Will Young it was just his third T20 fifty which was good news for his team after they lost their handy George Worker to the BLACKCAPS.

Happy days with Will Young. PHOTOSPORT

MOST WICKETS

Jacob Duffy remains in the top spot after his round one five-for but Kings captain Andrew Ellis is right behind him on four after picking up another brace in Sunday's match.

"Just one more wicket thanks mate" PHOTOSPORT

ROUND THREE STARTS THIS WEDNESDAY

Yep, tomoz the Wellington Firebirds kick off the third round by hosting the Knights at the Basin Reserve, while the Stags head to Rangiora as mentioned for Friday's big rematch with the Kings. Things then get a little crazy with the Knights (their fourth game) playing the Volts (their third game) and the Aces and Firebirds playing each other home and away, so teams will not all be on even rounds from next week and we're all going to have to get out our slide rules to figure out who's got the edge.

SELECTED STATCHAT - new milestones

T20 debuts for the Kings: Andrew Hazeldine (left-arm seamer) and Blake Coburn (wrist spinner)
Cole McConchie made his highest T20 score with 54 (previous career best: 36)
Cameron Fletcher made his highest T20 score in the same stand with an unbeaten 74 (previous career best: 61)
McConchie/Fletcher set a new Kings record for the 5th wicket in games against the Stags with 116 runs
Tim Seifert's record maiden century was a blast and also the highest Burger King Super Smash innings by any Knights player ever (107 off 42 balls)
Tickets and upcoming schedule for all the holiday action

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