Patel’s star act in Firebirds success
PHOTOSPORT JEETAN Patel has emerged as the unlikely hero as the Wellington Firebirds beat the Central Stags by 14 runs to claim the McDonald’s Super Smash title in New Plymouth yesterday.
Patel came to the crease at the end of the 16th over with his side sitting at 114-7 and looking for answers after being put in to bat first.
Alongside Matt Taylor (48 not out), the right-hander scored 28 unbeaten runs from just 11 balls to give the Firebirds a late charge, lifting them to a defendable 172-7 from their 20 overs, hitting three sixes and a four.
However it didn’t look good for Wellington at the start, with Stags seamer Blair Tickner putting his fingerprints all over it in his first over, picking up the scalps of Hamish Marshall and Tom Blundell, both without scoring.
With the Firebirds in a world of trouble at 8-2, Michael Papps and Grant Elliot went about lifting their side, knocking the ball around the park to pick up singles, only leaning into the occasional delivery.
The pair put on a 26-run stand before Stags seamer Ryan McCone dismissed Elliot, who was caught in the deep by Josh Clarkson.
With Papps having lost three partners early in the game, he maintained the same approach at the crease alongside Michael Pollard, with the pair cruising through to the 10-overs mark largely by working singles, before Papps unleashed to hit a rare six GRANTMATTHEW/FAIRFAX NZ in the innings.
He was out next ball, caught in the deep off the bowling of George Worker.
Worker struck again two overs later, picking up the wicket of Luke Woodcock.
Pollard and Anurag Verma followed soon after, leaving the Firebirds sitting at 114-7 before Taylor and Patel collaborated in a crucial stand.
The Stags’ chase got off to a horror start when Mahela Jayawardene was caught at short fine leg off the bowling of Brent Arnel in the first over without scoring, and being quickly followed by Worker (2) and Jesse Ryder (0) – with just six runs on the board when Ryder fell. Will Young and Ben Smith looked to fight to get the momentum back for the Stags and lifted the side to 46-3 before Young was dismissed trying to clear the fence.
With only 51 runs on the board through 10 overs, the Stags needed to lift.
Josh Clarkson (53no), Marty Kain (17) and McCone (11) put up a fight, but were ultimately unable to get the team over the line, with Wellington running away with the win and the title.