Tickner, Worker lead Stags’ win
Who can stop the Central Stags? The Ford Trophy leaders barely raised a sweat racking up their fifth win of the season over Otago in Invercargill, and hold a five-point buffer over Auckland.
The Aces moved to second with a big away victory over Wellington, while Northern Districts missed a chance to stay with them when their match against the struggling defending champions Canterbury was washed out.
With four sides making the semifinals and two rounds remaining, fourth spot already looks a three-way scrap between Wellington, Otago and Canterbury all within two points of each other in the bottom half.
Points after six rounds: Central 23, Auckland 18, Northern 14, Wellington 8, Otago 8, Canterbury 6.
CENTRAL v OTAGO at Queen’s Park, Invercargill
Blair Tickner continues to lead the way for the Stags, and bowled them to a comfortable victory over the sometimes cranky Volts.
The tall seamer was the leading Twenty20 wicket-taker with 21, and moved within one of Ford Trophy leader Brent Arnel’s tally of 13 with a decisive haul of
4-43.
Coming on at first change after Black Cap Adam Milne and Bevan Small, Tickner tore through the Volts’ top order to dismiss them for 167.
Captain Rob Nicol was one of Tickner’s scalps and may be in hot water after being given caught behind then repeatedly signalling to the umpires that the ball hit his arm.
None of the Otago top-five could top 15 as Tickner removed four of them, before allrounder Jimmy Neesham topscored with
40 off 48 balls.
With the Stags’ batting firepower it was never going to be a contest.
Black Cap George Worker, who chimed in with 3-13 with his left-arm spin, cruised to
55 off 62 balls while Jesse Ryder was more direct, an unbeaten 48 off 36 balls seeing the Stags home with more than half their overs to spare.
On list-A debut, Michael Rae took three wickets for the hosts but that was a rare highlight.
Otago 167 off 43.1 overs (Jimmy Neesham 40; Blair Tickner 4-43, George Worker 3-13) lost to Central Stags 169-4 off
24 overs (Worker 55, Jesse Ryder 48no; Michael Rae 3-45) by 6 wickets.
AUCKLAND v WELLINGTON Basin Reserve, Wellington
Hard-hitting left-hander Mark Chapman was mentioned by the selectors as unlucky to miss out on New Zealand’s Twenty20 squad.
He issued another firm reminder of his batting talent with a knock of 117 off 104 balls – his fourth list-A century and third for Auckland – as the Aces won by 79 runs.
Auckland’s 264-9 was competitive as Chapman crashed 17 fours and a six in a knock of authority from No 4 before at legspinner Peter Younghusband (2-45 off 10) removed him in the 38th over.
Unwanted T20 Black Cap Glenn Phillips was next best with 35 off 65 balls while Logan van Beek (3-55) was the most successful Firebirds bowler.
Young medium-fast bowler Jamie Brown added the icing for the Aces in his third listA appearance, snaring 4-38 in a matchturning spell. He removed veteran skipper Hamish Marshall for 32 then skittled dangerman Devon Conway first ball with a ripper.
Black Cap Lockie Ferguson went wicketless in seven overs while Mitchell McClenaghan, back from Big Bash duty in Australia, made it safe with a double strike to remove van Beek and Younghusband in successive overs.
Auckland 264-9 off 50 overs (Mark Chapman 117, Glenn Phillips 35, Sean Solia 31; Logan van Beek 3-55, Luke Woodcock 2-27, Peter Younghusband 2-45) beat Wellington 185 off 42.3 overs (Malcolm Nofal 35, Hamish Marshall 32; Jamie Brown 4-38, Mitchell McClenaghan 2-35, Michael Barry 2-20) by 79 runs.
NORTHERN v CANTERBURY at Cobham Oval, Whangarei
Northern would have fancied their chances of snaring the points against Canterbury before the Northland rain had the final say just two overs into the run chase.
All the top-six chipped in for the hosts who rattled along at 7.26 per over on the way to 247-5 off a rain-shortened 34.
Nick Kelly topscored with 59 while BJ Watling, still not keeping wicket on his injured hip as the test series against England looms closer, hit a brisk 51 off 52 balls at No 4.
Skipper Dean Brownlie blasted an unbeaten 37 off 24 balls at the end and Black Caps one-day internationals Matt Henry (1-58 off 7) and Todd Astle (1-45 off 7) had tough days at the office.
Northern Districts 247-5 off 34 overs (Nick Kelly 59, BJ Watling 51, Dean Brownlie 37no, Tim Seifert 30) v Canterbury 9-0 off 1.5 overs. Match abandoned.