Ferguson, Chapman, Worker all Ace it for Auckland in 50-over final
A pair of current Black Caps and one former one in career-best touch have guided Auckland to just their second piece of silverware in the past six years.
Started by a four-wicket haul from Lockie Ferguson (4-32 off 10 overs) and finished with unbeaten half-centuries to Mark Chapman (92 not out off 75 balls) and George Worker (65no off 109), the Aces cantered to an eight-wicket win over the Central Stags in yesterday’s Ford Trophy final in Queenstown.
Perfectly complemented by sublime fielding, it was a superb allround performance as Auckland bowled top-ranked CD out for a well-below-par 213, then coasted to victory in just 36.1 overs.
For a fifth season in a row, it was the chasing team that claimed the spoils, as Auckland quickly took hold of proceedings thanks to two pieces of brilliant fielding inside the first 10 overs. First skipper Robbie O’Donnell pulled off a sensational one-handed catch to dismiss Bayley Wiggins (14 off 13), running back at mid-off and diving full-stretch on the 30-metre circle.
Will Somerville threw down the stumps from short mid-wicket to have Ben Smith (9 off 28) caught short at the bowler’s end, then when Ross Taylor (5 off 15) nicked behind off Sean Solia the Stags were in trouble at 44-3.
Captain Tom Bruce (63 off 66) and Brad Schmulian (44 off 66) set about resurrecting things with a 66-run fourth-wicket stand, but with Ferguson bowling plenty of heat and having the latter chop on, the Stags skipper fell softly, topedging a sweep off Glenn Phillips to short fine leg. That halted any CD momentum going into the final stages, as Ferguson claimed a couple more wickets and Somerville another direct hit runout, as the Stags were bowled out one ball short of their 50.
Auckland kicked into gear early, as Martin Guptill (23 off 21) hit Seth Rance out of the attack by taking 12 off his first over. At the other end Adam Milne was miserly, then picked up Guptill in his fourth over as he sliced to mid-off.
Worker was patient, his first four runs coming off 20 balls.
Phillips hit a brisk 23 off 13 before holing out, but that only brought Chapman to the crease, and in conjunction with Worker, put on an unbeaten 157-run stand to lead the Aces home. The two lefthanders took singles with minimal risk as they kept ticking the required runs down.
Worker pounced on the short ball in hitting four fours. Chapman opened up later on, slog-sweeping for six then the next over bringing up his 50 with a cut four, and the next ball the century stand.
With 49 required, Stags keeper Wiggins missed a stumping on Worker off Jayden Lennox, but it seemed too late, as Chapman (12 fours, one six) upped the ante and crunched the offside boundary.
He took 16 runs off Bruce’s only over with three cut fours in a row, then first ball of the next, cracked Schmulian for four through the covers for the winning runs.