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Both Central sides have taken victory in Auckland and the Hinds have booked a playoff spot while the Stags have got themselves nearly there.
Auckland Hearts vs Central Hinds:
The Hinds had a solid start with the bat through Hollie Armitage and Georgia Atkinson who got them off to a flyer.
They brought up a 50-run stand for the first wicket from 46 balls. Armitage and Atkinson were able to keep the momentum that they were building going passing an 80-run first-wicket stand until Armitage fell to Josie Penfold for 38. Her sister, Molly Penfold then had two wickets in the following over with Atkinson for 42 and Hinds captain Hannah Rowe for a duck.
Mikaela Greig and Thamsyn Newton were able to get the Hinds back into the game after their middle order collapse as they put on 31 runs for the fourth wicket until Amie Hucker broke through with the wicket of Newton for 19.
Rosemary Mair and Greig upped the ante in the last three overs to get the Hinds to 137 with four balls to go when Bree Illing got the wicket of Greig for 23.
Mair (16* from seven) and Flora Devonshire (1*) saw the Hinds to a total of 146/5 from their 20 overs.
The Hinds pulled off an early wicket with Claudia Green getting Izzy Gaze in the first over for four.
Saachi Shahri and Maddy Green were then able to apply pressure on the Hinds bowlers as they put on a 51-run stand in the next eight overs.
With both players looking set and Shahri in for a potential big knock, it was up to Priyanaz Chatterji who struck with two wickets as she got Shahri (33) and Prue Catton (2) to get the Hearts to three wickets down and nine overs in.
Green and Brooke Halliday restored the Auckland innings and took them close to the 100-run mark until once again the Hinds were able to take wickets in a clump as Green (37) and Halliday (15) with Mair getting them both.
As the required run rate climbed for the Hearts they kept losing wickets as Anna Browning went for eight with two overs to go.
With over 30 runs needed to win, Josie and Molly Penfold tried their best to get Auckland close to a win but when Josie fell for 12 in the final over and then Hucker for two, Rowe getting both wickets, it gave the Hinds the win.
Molly Penfold (6*) and Jonas (0*) saw off the last ball and the Hinds picked up an 18-run win. The win all but guaranteed a top-three spot for the Central side.
Auckland Aces vs Central Stags:
Auckland picked up the early wicket of Stags opener Jack Boyle for six with Danru Ferns getting the wicket.
Curtis Heaphy was given a go at the opening spot and showed some talent, including a six of Ferns. Ferns however was able to pick up him next ball for 18 as he edged off to Cam Fletcher behind the stumps.
Tom Bruce joined Dane Cleaver in the middle and they got the Stags past the fifty-run mark. With the Stags losing a couple of early wickets, the partnership between the two experienced players would be crucial. With momentum building in the Stags direction, Ben Lister struck through with a sharp catch off his bowling to have Bruce on his way for 20.
The next stand between Cleaver and the youngster, Will Clark was what in the end won the game for the Stags.
They put on a 100-run stand for the fourth wicket, with it coming in 56 balls. Cleaver was the more aggressive player as he produced 59 from 29 off the 100-run stand whilst Clark made 39 from 27.
Clark went a couple of balls after the stand in the last over as he was bowled by Lister for 39.
Having made his 8th T20 50, Cleaver finished on 87* whilst Doug Bracewell was run out on the final ball of the innings as the Stags posted 173/5 from their 20 overs.
Auckland had a woeful start with the bat as Bracewell reduced them to 12/3 with the wickets of George Worker (1), Cole Briggs (0), and Robbie O’Donnell (9). Bevan Small then got Sean Solia LBW for nine and the Aces were in trouble at 24/4.
However, if Auckland were going to want to book themselves top spot it would be up to Will O’Donnell and Fletcher to do the mahi.
They were able to stay in the middle for eight overs and saw Auckland over the 100-run mark with just six overs to go and still 73 runs needed for a win.
Small once again struck with the wicket of O’Donnell for 45 from 26 and then Ajaz Patel had Fletcher for 45 soon after.
With just under 50 runs required in the last 4 overs, it was going to be up to the tail-enders to get the Aces over the line.
Jock McKenzie wasn’t able to do this as he fell to Small for eight. Ferns and Ryan Harrison tried their best to get Auckland close to the target but Ferns went on the penultimate ball for 17 and then Louis Delport was bowled first ball by Lennox to leave the Aces on 158/9 after their 20 overs.
The Stags picked up the four competition points with their 15-run win.
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