Stags one step from T20 final fling
Dean Brownlie might not be on the Central Stags’ Christmas card list just yet, but by the end of the week he could be.
His blistering 86 from 50 balls changed the game in Hamilton on Sunday, securing the Northern Knights an unlikely win over the Canterbury Kings.
With the Stags doing the business against the Wellington Firebirds, it sent Central into the Super Smash preliminary final against the Auckland Aces this afternoon at Auckland’s Eden Park Outer Oval.
The Knights will host Saturday’s final against the preliminary final winner.
So you can imagine the Stags feeling grateful to Brownlie for each of his six fours and six sixes, as well as some late hitting from Nick Kelly and Chris Jordan.
But Central coach Heinrich Malan isn’t ready to thank them just yet.
Should the Stags make the final, he’d want to see more from them on Saturday before posting them a thank you note.
‘‘Let’s see what happens in the next week or so,’’ Malan said, with a wide grin on his face.
‘‘It’s a big week of cricket coming up. It’s been a long 12 months after we played some good cricket last year leading into the finals, and we got upset by the Firebugs last year, so it’s just been good to see the boys bounce back.
‘‘We’ve seen some young dudes come in and play some different roles. We have no pro. So it’s been pleasing and I’m really happy for the boys.’’
The Stags won three straight to make the finals, defeating the Wellington Firebirds home and away after thrashing the Otago Volts in Invercargill.
It’s not quite the streak the Firebirds went on to make the finals in 2017, but there are parallels. It would be ironic if the Stags were to streak home for the title.
Firebirds coach Bruce Edgar is backing the Stags to do just that, and Malan admitted his side are in good touch.
‘‘We all talk about momentum and what that is but, I suppose at the end of the day it’s something, you can’t feel it, but it grows within your side.
‘‘We’ll fly under the radar heading into Wednesday’s game and if we can put another good performance on the board then hopefully we put ourselves in good position.’’
Earlier in the season, an Aces side boosted by the appearances of Lockie Ferguson and Colin Munro secured a five-wicket win over the Stags at Eden Park Outer Oval.
Central scored 192 that day, only to see Munro blast 47 and Robert O’Donnell 54 as the Aces chased it down with 10 balls to spare.
The Aces are coming off a dire loss to the Otago Volts in their final game, however, and could be ripe for the picking.
‘‘In the last four or five games we’ve played [in Auckland] we’ve only lost once,’’ Malan said.
‘‘We’ve played good cricket at a small ground like that. We’re used to playing at a small ground, at Puke[kura] Park.
‘‘It’s small, a quick outfield, so it’s about getting people to hit you in the 45 pockets and taking the pace off the ball.
‘‘That’s stuff we normally do well so hopefully we can execute on Wednesday.’’
The Stags will have the services of Josh Clarkson for the preliminary final despite him being carted off for an X-ray during Sunday’s game in Wellington