• FINN ALLEN MAKES WINNING START AS AUCKLAND CAPTAIN
• MIKE SCLANDERS PRODUCES MAIDEN CENTURY
Only one match went the distance in a weather-affected third round of the NZC men’s one-day Ford Trophy.
The Auckland Aces were the benefactors, at the expense of the Otago Volts, to rise to second on the table.
Rain meanwhile saw both the Canterbury-Northern Districts clash in Christchurch (abandoned without a toss made), and the Wellington Firebirds-Central Stags match in Wellington (22.4 overs of weather-interrupted play before heavy rain) called off, with teams taking two points each for the abandonment.
With Canterbury having banked two bonus-point victories already, the defending champions stay out in front with a four-point buffer over the Auckland Aces, who moved two spots up the ladder ahead of Wednesday’s fourth round.
The Aces’ four-wicket win at Bay Oval was Finn Allen’s first as skipper as he returned from a finger injury and took over from usual captain Sean Solia for a hard-fought match that claimed the Ross Dykes Memorial Trophy off the Volts to boot.
Allen elected to bowl on a steamy morning as the Aces continue to play their ‘home’ matches in Mount Maunganui this week due to the unavailability of their regular home grounds in Auckland.
After having been 56/3, the Volts recovered through the middle of their innings thanks to a steady, guiding hand from opener Dale Phillips.
Phillips top-scored with 72, and Leo Carter (62) provided strong support in their century partnership, taking their team to 164/4 in the 31st over.
Then part-time spinner Will O’Donnell (2/58) undid them both, but captain Luke Georgeson had a platform from which to lift the strike rate, and the Volts put the foot on the gas to get to a good total of 283/9 in their 50 overs.
So it was game on for the Ross Dykes Memorial Trophy, that honours the late BLACKCAPS selector, Otago Cricket CEO and Auckland representative who cherished both these Major Associations. The ledger is now 2-2 since that special trophy was introduced, with the Volts having held it for the previous two seasons.
Allen was an early loss as the Aces went after a run-a-ball chase, then both Solia and O’Donnell were stopped on 30 to have things in the balance at 78/3 in the 16th over.
Enter the stocky dynamo Mike Sclanders, in just his fourth match in two seasons for Auckland (having formerly played his Domestic cricket in South Africa).
The 24-year-old’s previous best with the bat was a knock of 40 in New Plymouth a week ago, but today he cruised past his maiden half ton to post his first List A century: a match-winning knock of 107 off 112 balls, including seven boundaries and three sixes.
Jock McKenzie provided a supportive 66 – his own maiden half century in List A one-dayers – in a 179-run fourth wicket stand, and the Aces ticked off their well-paced run chase in the final over, just six wickets down.
All teams have now completed three of the 10 regular season rounds.
Canterbury is the only undefeated side, and the Central Stags the only winless team. Wednesday’s fourth round sees the Central Stags head to Dunedin to play the Volts; Canterbury to Bay Oval to play the Aces; and Northern Districts also in action in their home territory as they host the Wellington Firebirds at Seddon Park, Hamilton, all scheduled for 10.30am.
POINTS TABLE – snapshot after three of 10 rounds
12 Canterbury (2 bonus points)
8 Auckland Aces (moving up two spots)
7 Wellington Firebirds (1 bonus point)
6 Northern Districts (moving up one spot)
5 Otago Volts (1 bonus point)
2 Central Stags
THE FORD TROPHY
ROUND THREE
26 October 2024
Canterbury v Northern Districts
Match abandoned
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags
Cello Basin Reserve
Match abandoned (rain)
Recent Champions
2023/24 Canterbury
2022/23 Central Stags
2021/22 Auckland Aces
