Firebirds captain Hamish Bennett is on point. PHOTOSPORT

Firebirds enhance lead

Posted Friday, 16 November, 2018 in Match Reports

ROUND EIGHT

CANTERBURY v WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS

Lincoln No.3

16 November 2018

Scorecard

Result: Wellington Firebirds won by 23 runs

MATCH STATCHAT

Ben Sears best List A bowling figures. Previous best 2-36

Leo Carter highest List A score. Previous best 27

Stephen Murdoch 2000 List A runs when he reached 72

Cole McConchie best List A bowling figures

- Firebirds become first to secure top three spot -

Ford Trophy frontrunners the Wellington Firebirds became the first team to lock in a top three qualifying spot after a tight win over Canterbury.

Youth beats experience as Ben Sears collects his fledgling career best. PHOTOSPORT

Canterbury had needed 20 runs off the final two overs to stop the most consistent team of the national one-day competition, but lost their final two wickets to Jimmy Neesham (2-40) in the 49th over, conferring a victory to the Firebirds by 23 runs.

Firebirds captain Hamish Bennett extended his lead as top wicket-taker. PHOTOSPORT

The win swept the red hot Wellingtonians to 27 points on the table which guarantees their qualification with two rounds still remaining, while rookie opening batsman Andrew Fletcher became the first batsman in the competition to move past 500 runs for the season.

Whether the Firebirds will proceed direct to the Ford Trophy Grand Final is yet to be determined, however. Both the Otago Volts (22 points) and Northern Districts (18 points) remain capable of overtaking them, a total of 10 points (including bonus points) up for grabs in the last two rounds before playoffs.

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