Hampton helpsnd topple leaders
Northern Districts survived a late-innings wobble to end Canterbury’s unbeaten run in the Ford Trophy domestic one-day competition with a win in round four at Hagley Oval yesterday.
Brett Hampton made an unbeaten 20 off 11 balls as they got home with three wickets in hand and one ball to spare, having needed 28 off 23 balls with eight wickets in hand at one stage.
Hampton’s efforts meant Ken Mcclure’s second century in as many matches was in vain – the Canterbury batsman’s 105 came two days after he made 107 against the same opponent at the same venue.
Captain Leo Carter made 40 and wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher made 39 as Canterbury posted 266-8 from their 50 overs, a total that was well within Northern’s reach.
Katene Clarke gave the visitors early impetus, making 56 off 73 balls, and after he departed and Dean Brownlie went cheaply, Jeet Raval and Henry Cooper took control.
With 10 overs to go, Northern needed 76 runs, and the only question was whether they could up their scoring rate, with Raval on 77 off 99 and Cooper on 31 off 46.
The answer appeared to be yes, with 10 runs coming off the 44th over, bowled by Sean Davey, and 15 off the 45th, bowled by Black Cap Matt Henry, as Raval brought up his century (off 116 balls) and Cooper his 50 (off 60).
Disaster struck in the 47th, however, as Cooper was caught behind and new man Anton Devcich was run out while Northern added only three more runs, and when Raval was caught in the deep off the second ball of the 48th, they had lost any form of momentum.
Peter Bocock came and went in the same over and the equation became 22 off 12, but Hampton hit Henry for a six and a four to swing the contest back Northern’s way, leaving them needing just seven off the final over to complete the win.
At Eden Park Outer Oval, the Otago Volts took wickets at regular intervals after winning the toss and choosing to bowl and dismissed the Auckland Aces for 225 with nine balls left in their innings.
Powered by opener Nick Kelly’s 61 off 68 balls, the Volts got ahead of the required run rate early and were able to polish off their chase of 226 in relative comfort.
Fellow opener Mitch Renwick added 40 off 55 before veteran Neil Broom steered them home, finishing not out on 58 as the Volts won by six wickets with 6.5 overs to spare.
Black Cap Martin Guptill made 40 off 31 balls for the Aces at the top of the order, but the only other batsman to produce a score of note was Will O’donnell, who made 85 off 110 balls at No 3.
No play was possible at Fitzherbert Park in Palmerston North, where the Central Stags were to play the Wellington Firebirds.