(Cricket news) With one round of the regular season to go, Canterbury has snatched The Ford Trophy national one-day lead in thunderous style at Hagley Oval, in a reverse of last year’s Grand Final that left reigning champion the Central Stags stinging on the floor.

The Stags’ hopes of defending the title are now hanging by a thread after a Canterbury third-wicket record partnership of 209 – beating a Rod Latham/Craig McMillan record that had stood since 1995. 

The architects, Henry Nicholls (138) and Leo Carter (107), set up Canterbury’s sixth highest one-day total in their history of 349/8.

Despite a career-best 94 from Doug Bracewell, it was soon a hopeless chase for the Stags, and Canterbury went on to chalk up their second highest victory by runs with a huge 183-run winning margin.

Moreover, Canterbury collected yet another bonus point to push them two points ahead of Northern Districts who meanwhile suffocated against the barnstorming Otago Volts in Queenstown and lost the competition lead.

The Volts strung together their third victory in a row, costing Northern Districts that seat at the head of the table as they went down by six wickets. The Volts leapfrogged the Central Stags into the top three as a result.

Meanwhile, a timely century from Aces captain Robbie O’Donnell helped the Aucklanders get up over the Wellington Firebirds in a tight, last-ball finish at the Cello Basin Reserve – meaning the Aces also went ahead of the Stags who are now dangling in second-to-last spot, while the Firebirds can no longer reach next week’s 2v3 Elimination Final.

The Stags will need a hefty bonus-point win in their last match against the Aces in Auckland this Sunday, and, for other results to go their way, if they are to stay alive.

Canterbury (24 points) and Northern Districts (22 points) will meanwhile be in a top-of-the-table clash at Bay Oval, where a Canterbury win will secure direct entry to a home Grand Final as the men’s national one-day championship continues to go down to the wire.

The Ford Trophy

ROUND 10

10.30am Sunday, 18 February 2024

Sir John Davies Oval, Queenstown: Otago Volts v Wellington Firebirds

Bay Oval, Mt Maunganui: Northern Districts v Canterbury

Kennards Hire Community Oval, Eden Park, Auckland: Auckland Aces v Central Stags

2v3 Elimination Final: 10.30am Wednesday, 21 February 2024 (teams, venue TBC)

Grand Final: 10.30am Saturday, 24 February 2024 (teams, venue TBC)

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