Auckland in hunt after Canterbury collapse
Defending Ford Trophy champions the Auckland Aces kept their slim finals hopes alive with a seven-wicket win thanks to a batting collapse from Canterbury.
Sent in by Auckland captain Robbie O’donnell, Canterbury was cruising along at 61-0 with openers Chad Bowes and Black Cap Henry Nicholls seemingly in full control.
But home track advantage at Hagley Park stood for little as Canterbury then lost 10 wickets for just 70 runs in Christchurch yesterday.
After being taken for 15 runs in his first two overs, left arm seamer Matt Gibson claimed the sort-after scalps of Bowes, Nicholls and Cole Mcconchie in his third and fourth overs to reduce Canterbury to 66-3.
From there the spin twins of Louis Delport and Adithya Ashok crippled the Canterbury middle and lower with seven wickets between them.
Delport’s 4-16 bettering his previous List A career best of 4-29, set last month against Wellington. Gibson’s 3-17 from five overs was also a personal best at List A level.
The most hotly anticipated comeback in New Zealand cricket took another successful step towards the England test series with Kyle Jamieson safely navigating through nine overs.
In response, Auckland opening batters Cole Briggs and George Worker put on 93 for the first wicket before the former was run out for 52 and Worker (40) crunched one straight to midwicket, three balls later, off the bowling of Blake Coburn. A 14-ball 22 from Will O’donnell almost got Auckland home before a thick edge saw him fall to Angus Mckenzie.
Competition leaders Central Stags host Northern Districts Men at Mclean Park on Waitangi Day in the final match of the penultimate round and the winner will guarantee their spot in the top three and go a long way to securing top spot, which earns a direct route to the final.
Second and third contest the elimination final.
Auckland’s hopes of clinching third and a spot in the elimination final rely on them defeating Wellington in the final round plus the Stags beating Canterbury and the Otago Volts losing to Northern.