ND climb to the top after big win over Firebirds

Convincing wins from Northern Districts, Canterbury and Otago has seen the Ford Trophy table tighten up.

Northern grabbed the lead after five matches on virtue of net run rate over previous leaders Auckland after thumping the Wellington Firebirds by 135 runs in Whangarei on Saturday.

That gave the hosts their third bonus point victory to take them to 15 points, with Auckland also on 15 after going down to Canterbury in Rangiora by five wickets.

Left-handed middle order batsman Nick Kelly was the star for ND at Cobham Oval, making his maiden domestic one-day century as the hosts overcame a slow start to make 285-6 in their 50 overs batting first.

Kelly struck five sixes and seven fours as he made an unbeaten 118 off only 103 balls. He got useful late support from Scott Kuggeleijn (30 off 20) and Brett Hampton (35 not out off 21) to set Wellington a tough target.

The Firebirds were never in the hunt as Kuggeleijn ripped through their top order.

He finished with 3-34 off eight overs while off-spinner Jono Boult cleaned up the tail by taking 3-29 off five.

Auckland could only manage 209-8 batting first after winning the toss at Mainpower Oval with offspinner Tim Johnston (3-30 off 10 overs) Canterbury’s key performer. He took the wickets of Black Caps test opener Jeet Raval, hugely promising young opener Glenn Phillips and in-form lefthander Sean Solia as captain Rob Nicol top-scored for the visitors with 67 off 90 balls batting at No 6.

Black Caps opener Tom Latham had the wicketkeeping duties ahead of the one-day series against Australia starting on Monday which could see him fill a similar role for New Zealand and was responsible for combining with Johnston to stump Raval and Phillips. He then made 59 off 66 balls at the top of the order and fellow test player Henry Nicholls’ 76 off 92 balls helped the hosts reach their target with 11.4 overs to spare.

In Palmerston North, Otago amassed 287 in their 50 overs, with Michael Bracewell’s 92 from 98 deliveries (nine fours and two sixes) the mainstay of their innings batting first at Fitzherbert Park.

Despite 63 from Will Young and resistance from CD’s late middleorder, the hosts were dismissed for 264 with two balls remaining.