Fiery return from Rance as Stags trump Aces
The return of both Seth Rance (from UAE) and Ben Wheeler brought added firepower to the Central Stags and they used it to shoot down the Auckland Aces in a rematch between last summer's grand finalists.
The Aces had sent the Stags in and the hosts had good reason to be confident after having been unbeaten at Eden Park Outer Oval in all three of their previous Ford Trophy matches there this season.
But it would be fourth time unlucky, not that luck had a lot to do with a 170-run thrashing — Central’s largest ever List A winning margin against the Aces.
Despite a couple of early breakthroughs for debutant pace bowler Michael Snedden — who became a fourth-generation Auckland representative in the process — and Jamie Brown, Stags opener Greg Hay, answering an SOS call for the depleted side this season, continued to have a steadying influence on the young Stags in these rare white-ball outings.
Hay batted productively into the 33rd over and once again combined with powerfullybuilt youngster Dean Foxcroft who backed up his maiden century three days earlier with another impressive and, at times, explosive knock of 90, including a six onto the concourse.
Hay hit eight boundaries and three sixes in his innings, reaching 85 — his career best — and was in sight of a white-ball maiden century of his own before he was snaffled off Snedden, who claimed a debut haul of 3-61 off nine.
Stags captain Doug Bracewell had an excellent all-round day and strode in to give the innings even more impetus, slamming a dangerous 42 off just 31 balls to take the Stags through to 247 for seven in the 48th over.
However, the visitors’ momentum faltered a little at the death, Mitch McClenaghan firing up and proving himself hard to put away.
Known this season for their nailbiting last-over finishes, form said the Aces should nevertheless have been up for a chase of 296 — especially after having pegged the Stags’ scoring rate back at the death. Yet it quickly became apparent this would be anything but a nail-biter.
Rance, wearing injured Ben Smith's shirt in his first appearance in the format this home season since returning from the Black Caps T20 side, knocked the top off and was sitting on 3-29 when he grabbed the key wicket of Craig Cachopa on 13, knocking his stumps over to have the Aces 3-49. Wheeler, in his second appearance of the summer as he comes back from spinal fusion surgery, then took over and, on his 27th birthday, celebrated with a career best List A haul of 4-24 off just seven overs.
The hiding also gave the Stags a valuable bonus point and saw them jump from last to fourth on the table.