Woodcock, Taylor time their run chase to perfection

Wellington have booked their spot in the Ford Trophy decider after ending Central Districts’ reign with a dramatic victory in yesterday’s elimination final.

Chasing 248 to set up a clash with Canterbury on Saturday, an unbeaten 59-run partnership between Luke Woodcock and Matt Taylor carried Wellington to a five-wicket win at the Basin Reserve. Woodcock (41 not out off 35) and Taylor (31 not out off 29) came together in the 43rd over when the required run rate had crept well above a run a ball, and paced their stand to perfection.

Having done the damage by taking 12 off the penultimate over, Wellington sealed victory with three balls to spare courtesy of a couple of bound- aries from Woodcock, extinguishing Central Districts’ hopes of winning the one-day competition for three straight seasons.

The platform for Wellington’s innings was laid by Michael Papps, although the opener’s knock of 80 from 124 balls put the onus on his teammates to increase the strike rate at the opposite end. Captain Hamish Marshall celebrated his 38th birthday with a quickfire 37 but it was not until Woodcock and Taylor began forcing the pace that the home side seemed in control.

Central Districts opener George Worker added another 85 to his competition-leading tally but, coming from 118 balls and featuring only eight boundaries, the innings left the rest of the Stags order looking for quick runs to build a competitive total.