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ESPNcricinfo previews the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Mumbai

The Preview by Devashish Fuloria08-May-2012

Match facts

Wednesday, May 9, Mumbai
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Will it be again down to Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers for Royal Challengers?•AFP

Big Picture

Mumbai Indians face Royal Challengers Bangalore for the first time this season, thanks to the scheduling. The two heavyweights have met each other nine times in IPL and the record is almost even with five wins to Mumbai Indians.Both teams were pre-tournament favourites, boasting intimidating batsmen and experienced bowlers. However, things haven’t gone smoothly for either. Royal Challengers have five wins and five losses and they are lingering in mid-table, trying to push their way up. A loss in Mumbai will put them in a tight spot. Mumbai Indians have been slightly luckier with seven wins out of eleven, even though they have been inconsistent. Whereas, Royal Challengers have been overly dependent on the Gayle-de Villiers duo, Mumbai’s batting has flickered between good and ordinary.However, the difference between the teams is mainly in the potency of their bowling attacks. Mumbai Indians are the second most economical team, giving away 7.28 runs per over as against Royal Challengers’ 8.47, the worst in the tournament. This has affected their ability to take wickets as they average 36.82 runs per wicket against Mumbai Indians’ 21.80, the best among all the teams. No surprises here as Mumbai Indians also have three bowlers in the top ten list of leading wicket takers while Zaheer Khan, Royal Challenger’s top bowler, is 18th. Royal Challengers addressed the issue by bringing back Muttiah Muralitharan in place of Daniel Vettori in their previous game and he responded with an economical spell, but lacked support from the other end.Both teams have done better in chases with a few last-ball finishes. However, de Villiers, who has been critical in those situations, might find Lasith Malinga slightly trickier than Dale Steyn in such a situation. In any case, that sets the stage for interesting contests – Tendulkar-Muralitharan, Malinga-Gayle, Malinga-de Villiers.

Form guide

(most recent first, completed games)
Mumbai Indians: WWWLW
Royal Challengers Bangalore: WLLWW

Players to watch

AB de Villiers made Steyn look pedestrian, taking 23 runs off his last over. Overall, de Villiers has scored 292 runs at a strike-rate of 171.76. With no support from the Indian contingent in the team, the responsibility of setting up the pace would again be on him along with Chris Gayle.Lasith Malinga has been taking wickets for fun. If he can break the Gayle-de Villiers combine -the spine of Royal Challengers’ batting – that would be more than half the job done.

Stats and trivia

• Royal Challengers Bangalore are the second fastest batting team behind Delhi Daredevils with a strike rate of 130.71. Mumbai Indians are the slowest with 114.27.
• Royal Challengers have hit the most sixes in the tournament – 73. Most of them have come from Gayle (31) and de Villiers (14). Mumbai Indians have hit 51 sixes.
• Three of Mumbai Indians’ seven wins have come off the last ball. They also managed another tight win against Kings XI Punjab with only one remaining.
  

  Quotes

  “I told him [RP Singh] to give me the three balls that were left as I knew I could do it from there.”

  “I won’t say I’m a finisher of the game. I can even get better hopefully as there’s lots of room for improvement.” “

John Morris has been sacked as Derbyshire’s head of cricket midway through their current Championship match against Essex

ESPNcricinfo staff11-May-2011John Morris has been sacked as Derbyshire’s head of cricket midway through their current Championship match against Essex. Andy Brown, his assistant, has also been told his services are no longer required.Morris’s contract was due to expire at the end of September and Brown’s at the end of December but the pair’s departure is immediate, to the extent that they won’t see out the final two days of a Championship game that Derbyshire are well-placed to win.Derbyshire have only won one of their first four Championship games but are top of Group A in the Clydesdale Bank 40 after three wins. Luke Sutton, the captain, will take charge of the team along with academy director Karl Krikken, bowling coach Steffan Jones and committee member Tony Borrington.”After careful consideration, it has been decided not to renew their contracts and both will be released from performing their duties immediately,” Chris Grant, the club chairman, said. “The positions of lead physiotherapist James Pipe, strength and conditioning coach Luke Storey and Second XI coach AJ Harris are unaffected.”I would like to thank both John and Andy for their efforts while they have been employed by Derbyshire and wish them the very best in their future endeavours.”

urham’s left-handed batting prodigy Ben Stokes crashed 26 in an over to ease the reigning County Champions to their second victory of the season with more than two sessions to spare against winless Kent

20-May-2010
Scorecard
Durham’s left-handed batting prodigy Ben Stokes crashed 26 in an over to ease the reigning County Champions to their second victory of the season with more than two sessions to spare against winless Kent.Fresh from scoring a career-best unbeaten 161 in the first innings at Canterbury, the New Zealand-born teenager marched in to clatter an unbeaten 42 from 22 balls to secure the visitors a six-wicket win by 12.17pm on the final day of a fluctuating game.Chasing 169 for victory and having resumed on their overnight score of 67 for 3, Durham eased to within 52 of their target courtesy of a steady and sensible fourth-wicket stand of 80 between Dale Benkenstein and Ian Blackwell.Benkenstein was only one short of a half-century when he became Durham’s only casualty 11 overs into the final session. Advancing down the pitch when aiming a lofted shot over extra cover, the right-hander edged an overhead catch to Martin van Jaarsveld at slip to give Rob Ferley his only wicket in a costly eight-over spell of one for 54.Blackwell pulled his left calf muscle running a single to take his score to 46 and was joined by runner Scott Borthwick in order to post his 60-ball half-century, with five fours and a six. Otherwise, Durham suffered no further alarms.It was left to Stokes to win it in style with a six and five fours in the only over of the day from Kent’s part-time leg-spinner Joe Denly. Stokes, only 18, took his match aggregate to an unbeaten 203 in the process and left Kent still without a win after 11 starts in all forms of cricket.

A washout would suit India just fine, sealing their semi-finals spot, but not so for Australia

Karthik Krishnaswamy23-Jun-20241:49

Finch: Head vs Bumrah will be a great battle

Match details

Australia vs India
St Lucia, June 24, 10.30am local time

Big picture: Rain threat in St Lucia

This episode of Australia-India was always going to be spicy, because, well, it’s Australia-India, and because November 19 and all that. But now, after the events of June 22, there’s even more riding on it. Group 1 of the Super Eight in T20 World Cup 2024 is now thrillingly open.This isn’t a must-win game for either team, but Australia will be on wafer-thin ice if they lose. And while India’s net run rate gives them a decent safety net, there is still a chance they could lose out on a semi-finals slot.It’s Australia-India, then, and the stakes are as high as they could possibly be. What more could a cricket fan ask for? Well, there’s one thing: the weather forecast in St Lucia isn’t hugely encouraging.A washout would suit India just fine, sealing their semi-finals spot, but for Australia the difference between two points and one could be humongous. They are well aware of this, having been haunted by this difference in a global tournament not that long ago.

Form guide

Australia LWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first)
India WWWWW

In the spotlight – Marsh and Arshdeep

This hasn’t been the best of World Cups for Mitchell Marsh, with six innings bringing him just 88 runs at an average of 17.60 and a strike rate of 111.39. Conditions in the West Indies haven’t always been conducive to the Australia captain’s brand of hit-through-the-line strokeplay, but a return to St Lucia, the highest-scoring venue of this tournament, could help him find his way back into form.Arshdeep Singh is India’s highest wicket-taker in this World Cup with 12 strikes at the rate of one every 10 balls, but he’s also been their only regular bowler with an economy rate north of 7. He’s looked hugely impressive when the ball has swung, but he’s also looked inconsistent with his lengths at other times, which he will want to guard against on Monday given the opposition and the likely conditions.

Team news: Starc in or out?

Australia played the extra spinner against Afghanistan, bringing in Ashton Agar and leaving out Mitchell Starc. They could yet continue with that combination – Agar featured in their one previous game in St Lucia, against Scotland – particularly with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli not too fond of facing left-arm spin in the powerplay, but given the nature of this contest, will they continue to leave out one of their most tried-and-tested match-winners?Australia (probable): 1 Travis Head, 2 David Warner, 3 Mitchell Marsh (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Marcus Stoinis, 6 Tim David, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Mitchell Starc/Ashton Agar, 10 Adam Zampa, 11 Josh Hazlewood.It seems unlikely India will tinker with their 3-3 bowling combination (with Hardik Pandya as one of their three seamers), but their two left-arm orthodox spinners may come under a bit of pressure if either Travis Head or David Warner bats into the middle overs.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rishabh Pant (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.

Pitch and conditions: Pace on, runs on

St Lucia has been the most batting-friendly venue of this T20 World Cup in terms of both scoring rate (8.92) and average (28.76). Fast bowlers have struggled to keep the runs down here, going at a worst-in-the-competition 9.42, but spinners have done relatively better, returning a better economy rate here (7.91) than in both Dallas and Antigua.There is a good chance of rain in St Lucia, though, with forecasts predicting showers through Monday morning with the weather clearing up roughly between 10am and 4pm.

Stats and trivia

• India have a 3-2 edge over Australia in their T20 World Cup meetings so far. The last time they clashed in this tournament, however, was back in 2016.
• Virat Kohli (4103) and Rohit Sharma (4073) are separated by just 30 runs on top of India’s run-scoring leaderboard in T20Is.
• If they both feature, Agar and Arshdeep will play their 50th T20Is. Agar made his T20I debut in March 2016, while Arshdeep made his in July 2022. New Zealand’s Ish Sodhi (51) is the only player from a Full Member team to play more T20Is than Arshdeep since his debut.
• Australia could find a way to bowl spin to Kohli and Rohit in the powerplay even if they leave Agar out. Offspinners have bowled effectively to them in the powerplay so far at this World Cup, with Mohammad Nabi and Mahedi Hasan getting through quiet overs. Kohli has scored nine off 12 balls against offspin in the powerplay so far, and Rohit nine off eight. Glenn Maxwell, then, could be a useful option.

Quotes

“We have a lot of belief in our group. We are a very good cricket team. Yes, tonight we had an off night but I guess there’s also a positive in the fact that in 36 hours we go again. It’s a big game, it will be against India, obviously, and it’s a must-win game. I think if you look back at the short history of this team, I know for a fact that it brings out the best in our guys, so the boys will certainly be up and about for it.”
“In T20s, I don’t believe you need to get fifties and hundreds. How you can put pressure on the opposition is what matters. All the batters were trying to do that from the word go. That’s how we want to play and encourage ourselves to go forward. Yes, you need to understand the conditions as well, but we have a lot of experience in the squad, and we back them to use that experience on the field.”

CSA introduces split coaching team for red- and white-ball formats

Firdose Moonda14-Jan-2023Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter are expected to be unveiled as South Africa’s new men’s international coaches. Conrad’s most recent position was in charge of South Africa’s Under-19 side, while Walter will move from his role as head coach of Central Districts in New Zealand.The pair were preferred to current interim coach Malibongwe Maketa, former West Indies director of cricket Richard Pybus and former national assistant coach Adi Birrel (who applied for the red-ball job only). Lance Klusener, who was the frontrunner for the white-ball role, withdrew his application on Monday to focus on his work in T20 leagues.The appointments, overseen by CSA director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, will see South Africa’s men’s teams working under a split coaching set-up, following Mark Boucher’s resignation last year. South Africa previously tried something similar more than a decade ago, when Russell Domingo, who was then Gary Kirsten’s assistant, was was put in charge of the T20 side, with Kirsten remaining Test and ODI coach. Domingo then succeeded Kirsten six months later, as all-format coach.It is not yet known which format will be coached by Conrad and which by Walter, but whoever gets the white-ball role will start immediately. South Africa play England in three World Cup Super League matches from January 27.The Test coach will have a reduced workload at international level for now as South Africa still retain hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final, despite defeats in their two most-recent series in Australia and England, but currently only have two matches scheduled – at home to West Indies in March – in the next 11 months. In the long gaps between Tests, the Test coach will play an overseeing role in the first-class system.Both Conrad and Walter have worked extensively in South Africa’s domestic set-up . Conrad coached both the Lions and Cobras franchises (under South Africa’s previous domestic structure) and won four titles with the two teams, including one first-class title. Since then, he worked as head coach of Uganda, as South Africa’s National Academy coach, and most recently as coach of the national Under-19 team. South Africa finished seventh at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, with Dewald Brevis announcing himself, and Conrad then coached them to victory in the CSA T20 knockout challenge in October. This will be his first job as a Full Member national men’s team head coach.Related

• Boucher unveiled as new Mumbai Indians head coach

• Smith hopes SA20 will help end South Africa's World Cup wait

• Archer returns to England's ODI squad for tour of South Africa

• Klusener withdraws application to be South Africa white-ball coach

The same applies to Walter, though he has been involved in international cricket, having been South Africa’s strength and conditioning coach between 2009 and 2013. His first role after turning to coaching was as head coach of the Titans franchise, where he won three trophies in three seasons before moving to New Zealand. Walter coached Otago Volts for five years and turned them from wooden spooners in 2016-17 to a competitive side in the seasons that followed. In April 2021, he moved to the Central Stags. Walter also has IPL experience with Pune Warriors and Delhi Daredevils.The pair succeed Boucher, who was appointed in December 2019 on a four-year deal. Boucher was due to stay on to take South Africa to the 50-over World Cup later this year, but announced his resignation in August 2022, on South Africa’s tour of England. His last series was the T20 World Cup in Australia, where South Africa missed out on the semi-finals after losing to Netherlands. Boucher has since been announced as the head coach of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.

New national team captain, who is currently playing in BBL 2021, also talks about Test aspirations

Peter Della Penna21-Dec-2021Newly appointed Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane says he hopes his team-mates will be able to move past a turbulent period off the field, in which players have been engaged in a protracted payment dispute with Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). The dispute ultimately resulted in the axing of Gyanendra Malla as captain and Dipendra Singh Airee prior to Lamichhane’s appointment.Speaking from Australia, where he is currently playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, Lamichhane expressed confidence that the Nepal squad would be able to move past recent off-field disagreements and rally together to perform well enough on the field to qualify for the 2023 T20 World Cup.”It’s an honour for me to lead this country,” Lamichhane told ESPNcricinfo. “There’s been a lot going on between players and CAN. In this tough time, we have to back up each other. All the players and CAN have to come in one place to take Nepal cricket to next heights. It’s a tough time for Nepal cricket but I’m looking forward to getting this team through every thick and thin so that we have a great time ahead.”It hurts to see all these things right now. There’s nobody who can help us to go through it. There has been a lot of ups and downs. But the kind of skills our players have and the kind of big heart they have, I’m pretty sure they’re going to represent Nepal and prove themselves. [Malla and Airee] are one of the main pillars of the Nepal team. Though they are not captain or vice-captain or don’t have that tag right now, but for me they are still the best players in the team.”Related

• Lamichhane replaces Gyanendra Malla as Nepal captain

• Pubudu Dassanayake appointed Nepal head coach

A number of current players have voiced their displeasure on social media in the past week after Malla, Airee and allrounder Sompal Kami also had their central contracts suspended for six months. Former captain Paras Khadka also put out a statement in support of the players in their ongoing dispute.”We are in support of our cricket players,” Khadka wrote. “Justice has to be served. Hopefully CAN will take its decision back and players can start training to focus in preparations for the T-20 World Cup qualifier in February and to maintain our ODI STATUS in coming days.”Lamichhane, meanwhile, is looking forward to the arrival of Pubudu Dassanayake after Christmas following the announcement that Dassanayake has been hired to start a fresh tenure as Nepal head coach, having had a successful stint from 2011-2016.”He is the real architect of Nepal cricket and the one who made the definition of cricket in Nepal,” Lamichhane said of Dassanayake. “Especially for me, the way he took me from nowhere to the national camp. Definitely it’s going to be a pleasure for me and for all the players. There’s going to be a lot of changes and a lot of positivity around when Pubudu comes back to Nepal. I’m looking forward to good times and uniting the team.”Lamichhane has also set his sights on lifting Nepal beyond ODI status. He hopes he can play a major role in leading Nepal not just to their maiden ODI World Cup appearance, but also to attain the long-term goal of Test status.”We have been saying one thing all the time: we have to play World Cups and be a Test nation,” Lamichhane said. “Definitely it’s going to be a new challenge and as far as I’m there, we will put everything possible from our side to become a Test nation as well. I haven’t taken the field yet but it’s an immense pleasure to lead this beautiful country, not only this squad of 21 players and people including staff members, but it’s an immense pleasure to lead 30 million people around the world, all the Nepalese people. So I’m definitely looking forward to it.”Every team goes through ups and downs. A lot of things have happened in the past, but from here onward me as a leader, we are only looking for brighter days ahead. Everybody who is dreaming to play for this beautiful country and performing for this country, for me as a leader it will be a good challenge and I hope to get the best out of any player. That’s my motivation for right now to help us win games.”

With wins vital, exciting finish could be in store, weather permitting

ECB Reporters Network17-Aug-2020Both captains indicated their readiness to set up a final-day run chase after just 8.5 overs were possible on the third day of the Bob Willis Trophy match between Leicestershire and Durham at the Fischer County Ground.Durham added 23 runs to their overnight score of 227 for 6, but lost the wicket of Paul Coughlin, caught at point by Sam Evans off the bowling of Gavin Griffiths.”There’s definitely a possibility of setting something up, it’s a short competition with wins vital, so it could make for exciting cricket on the last day – if we’re luckier with the weather,” said Leicestershire skipper Colin Ackerman.Opposite number Ned Eckersley agreed: “It’s going to take some positive discussions to find a target we’re both comfortable with – we’d probably want a few more than 250 – but both sides will want a positive outcome. We’ve all spent too much time not playing cricket this year, and every player and every member of the coaching staff on both sides will want an exciting last day. We don’t want to come and bat for bonus points.”

Centuries from Tom Alsop and Aiden Markram set Hampshire up for a commanding 355 for 5 but it went down to the wire

ECB Reporters Network02-May-2019Hampshire edged out a high scoring thriller as Kyle Abbott and Mason Crane held their nerves after Sussex Sharks produced a second unbelievable Royal London Cup match in three days.David Wiese scored an epic 171 to take Sussex within 13 runs of victory after they had slipped to 103 for 5 chasing a massive 356 to win. But Abbott’s 10th over, the 49th of the match saw the game turn back in Hampshire’s direction as he got rid of Wiese and Danny Briggs and only went for nine runs.Crane took three wickets for 55, including two in the final over to put Hampshire on the brink of a knockout spot with a nine-run victory.The result was as dramatic as the Sharks’ one-wicket victory over Essex on Tuesday, which saw Will Beer and Laurie Evans put on a three-figure stand for the seventh wicket before No. 10 Danny Briggs scored the winning runs with a ball to spare.On that occasion, the Sussex players had sung “The Great Escape” on their return to the dressing room. But at the Ageas Bowl, Hampshire sang the theme to the classic film.It looked like a regulation Hampshire win was in order when Luke Wright fell in the third over as Abbott jagged a delivery into his middle-stump before Phil Salt flashed to Aneurin Donald at point. The slide continued when Garton was lbw attempting to reverse sweep Liam Dawson and Harry Finch pulled a James Fuller bouncer to deep square leg.When Dawson bowled Evans, all appeared lost for Sussex – but Wiese and Ben Brown collided to swing the game towards the visitors.Wiese had proven his batting prowess earlier in the tournament when he scored 93 not out to seal a chase against Surrey. Wiese went through the gears effectively as he reached his half-century in 57 balls, and then only needed 26 more to reach three figures, with six fours and three maximums included in the barrage.Alongside Wiese, Brown was quietly accompanying with a pacy half-century of his own.Wiese took the WASP from a 1% chance of victory to 81% as he moved past 150 in 120 balls. Brown departed for 64 with 21 still to win when he reverse-swept to Dawson at backward point.But Abbott found Wiese rarely mishitting to long-on before Briggs chipped to Gareth Berg. And a crazy game was concluded when Crane had Beer and Mir Hamza stumped.Earlier, Hampshire had put up what appeared an unassailable 355 after stand-in captain Sam Northeast won the toss and elected to bat. Hampshire were forced to reshuffle their top order with James Vince on England duty in Ireland, Donald moving up to open with Tom Alsop.The pair put on 78, a best opening stand for the season, in a watchful manner, which prioritised running hard to boundaries.Donald was well caught on the square-leg boundary, while pulling, but that didn’t deter Hampshire as Aiden Markram joined Alsop. Again, the duo refused to take unnecessary risks but when they did they used their power to explosive effect – Markram pumping a pair of sixes over extra-cover a particular highlight from the stand.Alsop looked steady while reaching a half-century in 71 balls. But it was Markram who brought the glamour often provided by Vince, with glittering drives – half of his 16 fours coming between cover and mid-on – and pressure-relieving punches. His fifty came from 48 deliveries.Sussex’s fielding was well-below par, and probably cost them a chunk of runs, with Markram and Alsop both shelled on the way to three figures. The partnership continued to blossom and took Hampshire to the last 10 overs just one wicket down before Alsop, having reached his century off 116 balls, picked out Garton at long-off, with the stand worth 184.Markram continued his fun and reached his maiden ton for Hampshire in his penultimate fixture before the World Cup, from 73 balls.Rilee Rossouw and Fuller were hoisted up the order to boost the run rate but both departed, alongside Markram, in the last five overs while attempting aggressive shots – as in the end Hampshire scored just enough.

James Anderson took over the role for the Ashes in Stokes’ absence, but the allrounder’s return to the fold for the New Zealand tour means it is a situation that needs to be addressed

Andrew McGlashan in Wellington01-Mar-2018Ben Stokes’ position as England’s Test vice-captain will be discussed in the next couple of weeks, following his return to international cricket.Stokes was not stripped of the title in the wake of the incident in Bristol last September that led to him being charged with affray to which he pleaded not-guilty last month.James Anderson took over the role for the Ashes in Stokes’ absence, but the allrounder’s return to the fold for the New Zealand tour means it is a situation that needs to be addressed by Test captain Joe Root and coach Trevor Bayliss ahead of the two matches against New Zealand at the end of the March.Stokes was not the vice-captain of the one-day side – that role belongs to Jos Buttler as Eoin Morgan’s deputy – so a decision was not needed when Stokes made his England comeback in Hamilton.”That’s a decision we’ve not agreed yet,” Root said of the vice-captaincy role. “I think when we get together as a group me and Trevor will discuss a few things but that’s not been discussed [yet].”It could be a tricky balancing act to strike given Stokes’ case is still moving through the legal system, with the first Crown Court date on March 12 – which Stokes won’t attend while he stays on tour in New Zealand.On the field, the early stages of Stokes’ return have been a success. Following an encouraging first outing with the ball in Hamilton, where two wickets almost turned the game for England, he produced a Man-of-the-Match all-round display in Mount Maunganui with an unbeaten 63 to seal victory, alongside two wickets and a brace run outs.Stokes spoke of the emotion he felt after his five-month absence and the privilege of playing for England. He has quickly slotted back into the set-up with team-mates unaware of him being distracted by the lingering off-field issues.”All I can say is what I’ve seen of him coming back into the environment and he’s worked his nuts off as we expected him to,” Root said. “He’s gone about things exactly how you’d expect a really good professional to do and that sort of standard in training is why you get the performances on the field.”He worked really hard back home in Durham to make sure when he did get his opportunity to come back and play he was ready. He loves playing for England and you can see that in the way he plays. He leaves nothing out there on the field, he’s really dedicated to this sport and it’s really nice to be able to look back on the last game and see him have such an influence on the result.”In the build-up to the one-day series the talk had been about how confident Stokes was looking in the nets, but no amount of training can replicate match situations. His first knock of 12 was scratchy but in the second match he showed off some trademark shots, including a straight drive for six off Trent Boult. He has yet to be used for his full 10 overs – sending down two spells of four overs in each match – but he has pushed into the 140kph bracket on occasions.”It’s testament to just how good a player he actually is, to have such a period out of the game and come straight back and perform how he has shows the skill level of the individual really,” Root said. “It’s good to see him back playing, it really is.”

A round up of the fifth round of Ford Trophy matches held on January 28, 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2017Nick Kelly struck 118 runs and Scott Kuggeleijn and Jono Boult took three wickets each to lead Northern Districts to a 135-run win against Wellington in Whangarei.Choosing to bat, Northern Districts recovered from 62 for 3 in the 20th over to finish on 285 for 6 in their 50. Kelly was their innings’ primary driver; his 103-ball knock included partnerships of 89 with Daryl Mitchell (27), 52 with Kuggeleijn and an unbeaten 64-run with Brett Hampton, who hit 35 runs off 21 deliveries.Wellington’s chase started poorly. Opener Michael Papps fell in the third over followed by ducks from Stephen Murdoch and Hamish Marshall – all of them being dismissed by Kuggeleijn. Matthew Pollard scored 30 off 52 balls and by the time he was out, Wellington were struggling at 85 for 6. Matt Taylor hit six fours to score 45 runs, but there was too much for Wellington’s lower order to do. They folded for 150 in the 35th over courtesy three late strikes from Boult. The win took Northern Districts to the top of the Ford Trophy table.In Palmerston North, Otago completed a 23-run win over Central Districts after Jack Hunter’s four wickets dented the latter’s chase. This after Michael Bracewell struck 92 to take Otago to 287 in their 50 overs.The chase of 288 for Central Districts was hit by the constant fall of wickets. Hunter removed both openers in his first spell, Christi Viljoen removed the set Will Young (63) while Nathan Smith took two lower-order wickets. Their middle order chipped in with some useful contributions – notably Josh Clarkson’s 44 and Navin Patel’s 37 – but those knocks proved futile.Earlier in the match Liam Dudding took three wickets, but Otago went on to accumulate runs guided by Bracewell’s 92. He was ably helped by Josh Finnie (39), Anaru Kitchen (24) and Derek de Boorder (31).Canterbury chased down the target of 210 set by Auckland to complete a five-wicket win at Rangiora’s Mainpower Oval. The win was set up by a 105-run partnership for the second wicket between Tom Latham (59) and Henry Nicholls (76) after Canterbury’s bowlers troubled the Auckland batsmen.Auckland chose to bat and their openers Jeet Raval (30) and Glenn Phillips (33) gave them a 58-run partnership. But Tim Johnston struck three times between overs 14 and 21 to reduce Auckland from 58 for no loss to 71 for 3. Rob Nicol scored a patient 67 as Auckland managed 209 for 8 in their 50 overs.Canterbury’s chase was driven by the century-stand between Latham and Nicholls. Latham’s seven boundaries and Nicholls’ nine all but secured the win. Despite Auckland’s quick strikes that followed, they reached their target with 70 balls to spare. Todd Astle (24) and Johnston (21) took them home.