Kieran Noema-Barnett clubbed an HRV Cup record as the Central Stags returned to the winner's circle against the Otago Volts in Invercargill today.
The defending champions snapped a three-match losing streak and consigned the winless Volts to their fourth defeat with a seven-wicket win at Queens Park that owed plenty to the slashing blade of Noema-Barnett.
The stocky left-hander raced to an unbeaten 57 off just 18 balls, striking seven sixes as his side flew to 178 for three in 17.3 overs.
He took just 14 balls to reach 50, surpassing the competition record of 15 balls previously held by Martin Guptill for the Auckland Aces.
Openers George Worker and Peter Ingram scored 43 and 28 respectively to lay the foundations for Noema-Barnett, who clubbed four sixes of Darren Stevens' fourth and final over.
Earlier, Neil Broom and Derek de Boorder both scored rapid, unbeaten 38s to lift the Volts to 175 for six, a score that seemed highly competitive.
