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The Ford Trophy had some exciting action over the fifth round with a close result in Rangiora, while Otago and Auckland showed their class.
Otago Volts vs Wellington Firebirds
By Otis Murray
Wellington travelled to Dunedin as the clear favourite, having won two of three games with a result, while Otago carried the poor form into the match, going one from four to start their campaign.
Things didn’t start great for the home side, with Dale Phillips taking 25 balls to get off the mark. Thorn Parkes didn’t get a start either, scoring just 11 from 22, nicking off to Adam Milne with Callum McLachlan being a safe pair of hands behind the stumps.
Once Phillips got into his groove, he and Llew Johnson looked unstoppable, having a 90-run partnership until Nick Greenwood came onto the bowl. Phillips tried to swat him through point on the first ball, nicking off behind, going for 45 off 69.
Johnson and Dean Foxcroft built a 64-run partnership in the middle overs, with Johnson swatting it all ends around the park, hitting five sixes and six fours. All things have to come to an end playing across the line picking out Michael Snedden at wide long-on, having to go for 78 just 53, making his highest List A innings.
Foxcroft didn’t last much longer playing a ball wide outside off nicking off to McLachlan behind the stumps off Liam Dudding’s bowling; he went for 23 off 26.
Leo Carter couldn’t muster up more than seven runs dancing down the wicket to Greenwood, mistiming a straight drive up to mid-off where Muhammad Abbas was standing.
Luke Georgeson went for 21, trying to slog sweep Greenwood being yorked and bowled. Jake Gibson was dealt a golden duck, chipping it straight back to Greenwood, the part-timer taking four in his seven overs and only going for 28 runs.
Max Chu and Ben Lockrose decided to slog towards the end to set a par total after the weak start. Lockrose was bowled for 19 after he tried to hit a Milne yorker over the cover region.
Jarrod McKay went for nine off 4, trying to hit a full toss through cover off Dudding, while Toby Hart, in his debut, went for 0, being yorked by Milne.
The Volts finished at a respectable 273/10 after 49.3 overs, requiring Wellington to chase down 274.
Things didn’t start great for the visitors; Greenwood was knocked over for 0 in the first over, with Georgeson seaming it back in to hit the top of the off stump.
Gareth Severin didn’t last much longer, only scoring 4, squaring up to Georgeson, who chipped it right back to him.
Nick Kelly scored 2 with McKay shaping it back into him, driving it up to Gibson standing at mid-on, landing the Firebirds at 28/3 after 9.1 overs.
Abbas went for five, trying to flick a straight on his pads to Carter at mid-wicket. Georgeson, who hadn’t bowled for the first three matches, was in lighting form. However, another one wouldn't hurt, getting McLachlan's first ball and shaping it back into him.
On debut, Hart was tasked with the challenge of getting the set batsman Troy Johnson out. On his 4th ball of professional cricket, Johnson played at his ball outside off, trying to drive, nicking off with Max Chu taking the catch. Johnson went for 23, leaving Wellington at 33/6 after 11.4 overs.
Wellington built a slow 40-run partnership with Logan van Beek and Peter Younghusband. It took a delivery that was shaped in to leave Younghubsand walking, scoring 17 off 40 as he chipped it straight to mid-off, with McKay taking his second for the day.
Milne went after trying to run a leg bye, slipping in the middle of the pitch for an easy assisted run-out for Parkes.
A 50-run partnership brought Wellington to 148, with van Beek scoring 65, swatting across the line and getting caught out in the deep by Phillips off Foxcroft’s bowling.
Dudding danced down the wicket, getting stumped off Chu for a duck, with the Firebirds falling 114 runs short.
Canterbury vs Central Stags:
By Vincent Jones
The Central Stags came to Rangiora off the back of their 108-run win against Otago in Dunedin, whilst Canterbury had been bamboozled by Auckland, having made just 108 in their innings.
The wicket was one that many batters struggled to get in on, with all the bowlers putting in solid effort across the board.
There was early success with the bat for Canterbury, led by star opener Chad Bowes in his knock of 30 at the top, but it was the left arm of Ray Toole who struck twice in two overs to have Canterbury two down in the powerplay.
Having had their middle order crumble against Auckland, they did provide some work with the bat as Mitch Hay (20), Cole McConchie (13), and Matt Boyle (22) all got starts.
However, it was Rhys Mariu’s highest List A score at number three of 41 that led the way with the bat for the hosts.
Central’s bowling effort was led by Toole, who grabbed figures of 4/29 and was well supported by captain Jayden Lennox (2/35), Blair Tickner (2/40), and Josh Clarkson (2/44).
Canterbury’s lower order did not have much real success, with Fraser Sheat’s 14* at number 11 and Michael Rippon’s 15 getting their side past the 200-run mark at the end of their innings.
The Stags opening batters, Brad Schmulian and Curtis Heaphy, set out in a cautious approach, with the opening partnership of 98 being made in just over 26 overs.
Zak Foulkes’ effort to provide the breakthrough with the wicket of Schmulian for 34 led to Heaphy’s fall to Sheat for 56 and the Stags losing two quick wickets.
Wicket-keeper batter Dane Cleaver didn’t last long as he made four while Tom Bruce (10) and Josh Clarkson (2) couldn’t get in either.
With the game heading towards a knife-edge, it was Jack Boyle’s 50 from number three and Will Clark’s run-a-ball 23 that kept their side in the game.
Going into the final over, there was still a need for seven runs with Boyle on 55 and Brett Randell on 4. With the visitors needing six from the last three balls, Boyle did try and take on Angus McKenzie but perished for 55.
Tickner struck a two on his first ball but missed the final delivery, and Canterbury took a three-run win.
Northern Districts vs Auckland Aces:
By Vincent Jones
Northern went into the game with a much-needed win as they were sitting in fifth place, whilst Auckland were sitting in first and looking to lock up the top spot halfway through the season.
Experienced domestic heads Cam Fletcher and Jimmy Neesham led the way with the bat in Auckland’s chase of 249 as they both notched up scores in the 60s, whilst Finn Allen had got his side off to an explosive start with 54 from 29.
Earlier, it was Henry Cooper and Brett Hampton’s 114-run stand for the fifth wicket after both their Northern openers of Katene Clarke (27) and Fergus Lellman (28) had got off to starts.
Robbie O’Donnell and Jeet Raval, both experienced domestic players as well, could only provide four and one to the total, respectively.
Neesham also showed his class with the ball, taking 3/29 from his 8.3 overs, while Louis Delport led the way with the spin, taking 3/56 from his ten overs.
Neil Wagner struck 15* from number ten to take the total 248 when Freddy Walker was the last man out for six to Neesham.
Allen’s start with the bat was marred by the loss of Sean Solia for two, Will O’Donnell for five and Michael Sclanders for 14.
A quick hit out at the end from Simon Keene with 35* from 22 assisted to get the job done in 35.1 overs.
Scott Kuggeleijn finished with 3/67, while Wagner and Kristian Clarke both took a wicket each.
All six associations now move into preparation for the Plunket Shield, which begins next week.
How the table sits after five rounds:
Auckland Aces - 18pts
Canterbury - 16pts
Wellington Firebirds - 11pts
Otago Volts - 10 pts
Central Stags - 7pts
Northern Districts - 6pts
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