Volts dash Stags’ finals bid
A 93-run thrashing of cellar dwellers the Central Stags has seen the Otago Volts continue their march to the HRV Cup final.
Top of the points table, significantly their net run rate was also turbo-boosted by the comprehensive win, which was completed with three overs to spare. Direct entry into the final is determined by the most points or best net run rate in the event of tied points.
Winning the toss was about the only thing that went right for the Stags at University Oval, letting themselves down badly in the field by spilling five catches – only one of them a difficult chance – in the first nine overs of the game.
Hamish Rutherford was the main beneficiary, having been dropped at point by Carl Cachopa first ball of the innings and receiving a further two lives before Adam Milne finally showed how it was done at the close of Marty Kain’s second over. But by then the damage had been done, Rutherford racing to 34 off 22 as part of a solid opening stand of 53.
The Stags had been forced into last-minute changes by a pre-match injury to Will Young, who joined Kruger van Wyk in the hospital tent (van Wyk nursing a broken ring finger after being hit in the gloves by Milne at training), but they’ll be disappointed by a messy display that saw them crash with a thud out of finals contention – one that contrasted sharply with the Volts’ clinical efficiency.
Another top-order Twenty20 masterclass by Jesse Ryder and Tamim Iqbal set up a 57-run victory over hosts the Canterbury Wizards in front of a full house at Rangiora.
Ryder once again led the early charge, pumping boundaries from the beginning and racing to 37 off 24 before spinner Ronnie Hira took one of just two wickets in the innings with his first ball of the day.
Ryder had already helped take the Firebirds’ tally to 71 off just seven overs, and when his opening partner Tamim Iqbal kicked in to post his 50 with consecutive sixes off Hira’s third over, the Firebirds were already well in control of their destiny at just midway through the first innings.
Having been inserted by the Wizards, Michael Papps (32*) and the third debutant in the Firebirds’ side, Ben Orton (37*), kept the heat on as they cruised to 190 for two in the 20 overs. Iqbal had been the only other wicket to fall, Hira gaining a little revenge in his last over when Rob Nicol snaffled the catch to stop the Bangladeshi blaster on 74 from 47 deliveries.
Hopes of a home final for the Northern Knights took a big bash at the weekend.
The hosts, without injured captain Scott Styris, went down to the Auckland Aces by 28 runs at Mt Maunganui’s Bay Oval yesterday to drop to third spot.
In pursuit of Auckland ’s 180-5 in the Twenty20 contest, the SkyCity Knights finished well short at 152-6.
Styris injured his hamstring playing in the Australian domestic Twenty20 Big Bash League competition for Hobart on Saturday night. He remained in Tasmania for treatment, with the Knights hopeful the former Black Cap would recover to play in Hamilton on Friday night against Canterbury.
Knights import Steven Croft topscored in the chase with 48 off 43 balls.