Neesham sends message to selectors
Unwanted for the Black Caps in their Twenty20 series against India, Jimmy Neesham showed the national selectors what they were missing at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
The dynamic allrounder tore through Canterbury’s top five in the Ford Trophy match in Wellington, taking 5-29 in a memorable 10-over spell.
And, like the matchwinner he is, Neesham didn’t stop there as he clouted a quick unbeaten 37 to help the Firebirds chase down 268 with 11 balls to spare, a six-wicket victory their third of the season.
In Auckland, the Aces posted 297-7 to beat Northern Districts by 58 runs and maintain the competition lead ahead of Canterbury who have a seven-point buffer to third. Just three points separates third to sixth as a tense playoff race looms.
After Black Caps one-day opener Henry Nicholls (62) and Chad Bowes (47) put on 112 for the first wicket at the Basin, Neesham removed both along with Stephen Murdoch, Todd Astle and Jack
Boyle as Canterbury lost 5-24 in 10.2 overs.
They recovered to post 267-7 after winning the toss.
Strangely, Neesham wasn’t required for New Zealand’s 13-man squad for the five T20s against India, with Daryl Mitchell preferred in the allrounder spot and not picked for the two Eden Park matches.
Captain Michael Bracewell (81 not out off 82 balls) guided the Firebirds home after the foundation was laid by opener Andrew Fletcher (71) and run machine Devon Conway (59).
In Nelson, Stags captain Ben Smith plundered 149 not out in their total of 345-2 against Otago, which helped the bottom-placed team to a much-needed 55-run win.
Smith and George Worker (99) put on 224 for the second wicket.
Otago’s former Stag Dean Foxcroft (138 off 141) led the way in a mammoth chase but the visitors were never really a chance.
The Aces continued to set the pace with another solid team performance.
Middle order men Ben Horne (71) and Rob O’Donnell (61) were the mainstays of their total before Louis Delport and Matt McEwan snared three wickets apiece to skittle Northern for 239.
The towering figure of Kyle Jamieson was also a key contributor, snaring two early wickets before grabbing a brilliant boundary catch to remove BJ Watling for 73 off Delport.