Mackay shines in milestone match
White Ferns allrounder Frances Mackay won’t forget her 100th one-day match for Canterbury in a hurry.
Captain Mackay played a starring role with bat and ball as the Magicians bounced back from a loss to the Northern Spirit on Saturday, winning the rematch by 29 runs at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval yesterday.
Chasing 235 in the second round of the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield, Northern seemed to be cruising to their target at 169-2 in the 34th over.
Offspinner Mackay then turned the match for Canterbury
with a standout bowling display, nabbing three quick wickets to finish with a miserly 4-20 from
her 10 overs.
Mackay had earlier anchored the Canterbury innings, top scoring with 75 from 102 balls opening the batting.
That followed on from 103 in the first round against Northern at the same venue on Saturday – a match Canterbury lost by five wickets.
Wellington were unable to make it two consecutive wins against Auckland to start the competition, losing a thriller by nine runs at the Basin Reserve.
Wet weather in Levin washed out play between defending champions Central and Otago without a ball being bowled.
The third round resumes on November 30.
Wellington Firebirds 191 off 44.5 overs (Jamie Gibson 64; Ben Lister 5-18, Danru Ferns 3-36) lost to Auckland Aces 195-6 off 39.2 overs (Sean Solia 65no, Rob O’Donnell 64, Ollie Newton 3-32) by 4 wickets.
Centuries from George Worker and Ben Smith had Central Stags in complete control of Canterbury before the Palmerston North rain had the final say.
Worker (135 off 124 balls) and Smith (100 off 88) smashed Canterbury’s bowlers all over Fitzherbert Park to the tune of 349-4, Central’s ninth-highest 50-over total.
With Canterbury facing a daunting chase, their innings was just 2.4 overs old before downpours saw the points shared and the Stags rueing what might have been.
At Fitzherbert Park, Palmerston North: Central Stags 349-4 off 50 overs (George Worker 135, Ben Smith 100, Tom Bruce 56; Andrew Ellis 3-68) v Canterbury 3-0 off 2.4 overs. No result (rain).