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The Otago Volts, aided by a sterling knock of 56 not out from 32 balls by captain Craig Cumming, defeated the Northern Knights by 10 runs in the HRV Cup match at Queen's Park, Invercargill.
Cumming and the in form Neil Broom rattled up 92 for the third wicket to set the visitors a challenging total of 160.
Broom hit a brisk 41 from 37 but it was Cumming who supplied the fireworks, lashing six boundaries and three massive sixes.
Only Daniel Vettori came out unscathed for the Knights with the tidy figures of one for 19 off his four overs.
In reply, Northern couldn’t build any meaningful partnerships with the BJ Watling’s 20 the hightest score from the top eight.
Number nine batsmen Tim Southee and number 10 Bradley Scott then produced a scintillating 47 run partnership off 21 balls to push get them close.
Southee was particularly brutal, smashing 35 from 14 including three fours and two sixes with Scott making 16 from 8. Southee now leads the HRV Cup MVP.
It is the second match in a row they relied on their tail enders to get them across the line, with the same pair sinking the Canterbury Wizards in last Sunday’s match, but it was too much to ask this time as they fell just short.
Spinner Nathan McCullum was the pick of the bowling line up, taking two for 19 and completing a run out.
The result puts the Otago Volts into top spot with the Northern Knights hanging onto fourth.
