Black Caps discard hits form for Auckland At a glance
Discarded Black Caps test opener Jeet Raval has hit form in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition, cracking a century for the Auckland Aces in their win over the Central Stags in New Plymouth.
After a poor start to the season, which resulted in the redball specialist losing his place at the top of the test order, Raval has made a successful return to the
50-over format for Ford Trophy table-toppers Auckland.
Following scores of 60 then 30 in his first two appearances back at domestic level, the left-hander then plundered a match-winning
118 in the Aces’ four-wicket win at Pukekura Park yesterday.
Chasing 283 for victory, Raval’s third List A century in his 50th List A match, helped Auckland open up an eight-point lead at the top of the table with two rounds to play.
Opening the batting, the
31-year-old combined for four partnerships of 50 or more before he was the fourth man out in the
42nd over. His knock came at a brisk pace, off 120 balls and included 12 fours and two sixes.
With good cameos from Robbie O’Donnell (46 off 45) and Ben Horne (31no off 20), Auckland got home with two overs to spare.
Earlier, the Stags had looked a good chance of getting off the bottom of the table, thanks to 98 from opener Bayley Wiggins laying the
Ford Trophy, Rd 8:
■ At Basin Reserve, Wellington: Wellington Firebirds 275-7 (Tom Blundell 97, Jimmy Neesham 70, Devon Conway 57; Andrew Ellis 3-38, Fraser Sheat 2-51) beat Canterbury 253 (Henry Nicholls 55, Chad Bowes 38, Andrew Hazeldine 31, Todd Astle 30; Jakob Bhula 2-15, Michael Bracewell 2-36, Ian McPeake 2-42, Jimmy Neesham 2-55) by 22 runs.
■ At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth: Central Stags 282-8 (Bayley Wiggins 98, Josh Clarkson 44, George Worker 32; Louis Delport 2-47, Danru Ferns 2-47, Ben Lister 2-50, Kyle Jamieson 2-60) lost to Auckland Aces 283-6 (Jeet Raval 118, Robbie O’Donnell 46, Ben Horne
31no; Seth Rance 2-54, Ben Wheeler 2-62) by four wickets.
■ At University of Otago Oval, Dunedin: Otago Volts v Northern Districts match abandoned without a ball bowled.
Points: Auckland 28, Canterbury 20, Wellington 16, Otago 15, Northern
14, Central 10.
platform for their 282-8.
Auckland are well on track to claim the automatic home final
berth after second-placed Canterbury on Saturday lost to the Wellington Firebirds by three wickets at the Basin Reserve.
Neither the Otago Volts or Northern Districts were able to level or overtake third-placed Firebirds as their fixture in Dunedin yesterday was washed out without a ball bowled.
■ The four-day match between New Zealand A and India A ended in a draw as both teams’ batsmen enjoyed a paradise at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The hosts were in a dominant position after sending the visitors in on Thursday and bowling them out for 216, then racking up a massive 562-7 declared.
But although they trailed by
346, the Indians then racked up a heap of runs themselves, getting to a huge 448-3 before the match was called off.