Nicholls helps Cantabs to record-breaking win
Henry Nicholls has guided Canterbury to a critical Ford Trophy win with a classy century, scoring more than the Auckland Aces could muster in their run chase.
Canterbury’s 216-run victory – the biggest in Ford Trophy history – cements their spot in the top three for the finals and moves them five points clear at the top of the table to make them the first side to qualify for the finals.
Nicholls, who notched his sixth List A century and fifth in the Ford Trophy, opened the batting after Auckland won the toss and sent the home side in at Rangiora.
Nicholls, a Canterbury Country player who would have been more than at home on Mainpower Oval, struck 10 fours and two sixes in his 113 from 127 balls.
Eventually knocked over by offspinner Will Somerville, Nicholls put on 66 for the first wicket with Chad Bowes (31) before sharing a 164-run partnership with Ken McClure.
The latter fell four runs short of his century as he put his team first. McClure was caught on the boundary at deep long as he looked to accelerate Canterbury’s scoring in the 48th over.
Canterbury finished at 313-4 and in response Auckland were woeful, all out for 97 in the 27th over.
At the Basin Reserve, all-rounder Anaru Kitchen helped Otago chase down Wellington’s lofty 340 with five balls and six wickets to spare.
Mitchell McClenaghan claimed five wickets and Kitchen took two after Jacob Duffy won the toss and put the Firebirds in.
Michael Bracewell top-scored for Wellington with 82 from 87 balls after Finn Allen blasted 46 from just 21 balls at the top of the innings.
In response, a Hamish Rutherford century (102 from 91 balls) set the foundation before Kitchen guided the Volts home with an unbeaten 72 not out to secure a six-wicket win.
In Hamilton, the Central Stags chased down Northern Districts’ 194
with relative ease thanks to an unbeaten 89-run partnership between Black Caps veteran Ross Taylor and the big-hitting Josh Clarkson.
With the ball, Clarkson took 3-30 and only New Zealand test keeperbatsman BJ Watling (68 from 103 balls) and Northern captain Joe Carter (58 from 89 balls) offered any resistance of sorts to the Stags.
George Worker was cleaned up by Scott Kuggeleijn on the first ball of the run chase and even when Tom Bruce was dismissed at 107-4 the
game was a long way from settled.
But Clarkson’s 55 from 42 balls changed the momentum of the match and with Taylor at the other end – who finished with 68 from 72 balls – the Stags ended up comfortable winners but the victory was not enough to lift Central off the bottom of the table.
Heading into tomorrow’s final round, the Stags are the only side without a mathematical chance of qualifying for the three-team finals series.