After a slow start to The Ford Trophy season, Northern Districts has sailed further out of the doldrums after executing its second win on the bounce — coming up trumps in another surprisingly closely contested match.
This time it was Canterbury braving the gates of Seddon Park in a match where, despite strong offerings from the red and black top three after captain Cole McConchie had elected to bat, the innings crumbled away at the death to see them mustering 251 for seven in their 50 overs.
Not a bad tally by any means at Seddon Park, but after an opening stand of 109 it felt as if the visitors had missed an opportunity to press home the advantage in the last five overs.
Jack Boyle (above, PHOTOSPORT) top-scored with 66 at the top before Brett Hampton finally broke the opening stand while Chad Bowes batted on a for a further half hour for his 62, new partner Stephen Murdoch also reaching a half century.
Jeff Case, who made his Plunket Shield debut for Canterbury late last summer, was brought in at four for his first List A appearance and had a start of 21 before a canny Anton Devcich bowled him round his legs.
It was the second wicket in the over for the off-spinner and started the rot that saw the red and blacks fail to capitalise, with Devcich ripping on to 3-55 in the breezy conditions.
ND’s chase started poorly, but rallied. Both openers were gone at 25 for two in the tenth over, Henry Shipley (below, PHOTOSPORT) and Will Williams continuing to impress as the two tall spearheads of the Canterbury attack.
Devcich was run out to a sharp piece of side-on work from Bowes just two overs later while Daryl Mitchell’s teammates forgot to lift their feet up off the floor when the scoreboard was on 111 as he lofted a catch to Williams in the deep, off a delighted McConchie.
He had shared a 65-run stand with Nick Kelly who went on to top-score with 63, supported by Joe Carter who finished with an unbeaten 45 coming off his dramatic maiden century here in the previous round.
Joe Carter stuck around once again to see ND home. MBUTCHER
Both batsmen upped the pace, before Kelly handed over to heavy hitter Brett Hampton who again slammed the ball long for his six boundaries and one six in a quick and useful 37.
At 203 for six it was important that such impetus continued once Hampton was caught, looking for the short boundary again in the 41st over. Keeper-batsman Peter Bocock was just the man for the job and joined Carter at the crease for a damaging 10 minutes in which he blasted 28 off just 13 balls, including two switch-hits for six off Theo van Woerkom.
Fast and furious from Peter Bocock. PHOTOSPORT
Although he was just as quickly gone, by the time he was done ND required only a further 21 runs from 7.1 overs and got across the line with an over and a half to spare.
Despite taking the chocolates, ND has more work to do yet as they still find themselves sitting above only their Cantabrian opposition today at the wrong end of the table.
Both teams now head to Canterbury’s home rounds of Christchurch and Lincoln were all teams will converge for the next three rounds starting this Wednesday; all matches are free entry.
