SKYCITY Northern Knights 146-7 (Daniel Flynn 86, Anton Devcich 24, Andy Ellis 4-28) lost to Canterbury Kings 147 in 17.5 overs (Aiden Blizzard 69, Neil Broom 37) by eight wickets.
In the end, the Canterbury Kings chased down the SKYCITY Northern Knights total with ease and replaced them at the top of the Georgie Pie Super Smash table, having played one fewer game.
The Knights won the toss and batted first, with openers Daniel Flynn and Anton Devcich punishing right away, finding the boundary regularly to get the run rate up, with Kings bowlers Matt Henry and Ryan McCone unable to contain the pair.
Flynn played the aggressor perfectly, bringing up his 50 from 39 balls, while Devich supported his skipper at a run a ball. The latter was first to go, skying Andy Ellis to be caught on the boundary by Matt Henry for 24. That was the story of the later stages of the innings, with Dean Brownlie (1), Travis Birt (8), Daryl Mitchell (14), Scott Kuggeleijn (1) and Dan Vettori (4) all caught in the deep trying to hit out, when supporting their skipper may have helped the Knights push on to a really big score.
Daniel Flynn made a fine 82 for the Knights.
Flynn survived a run out chance on 82 from a Ronnie Hira direct hit throwing from the boundary, but replays showed he made his ground. He was only able to add four more when a century looked possible, caught by Neil Broom from Ellis' bowling in the last over, before the Knights innings ended at 146.
Hira and Broom got the Kings innings off to a bright start, with Hira racing to 20 from 14 balls including a six from Ben Laughlin's first ball and two fours. Laughlin got his revenge with a outlandish slower ball that Hira tapped to Vettori at point for a catch for 20. Broom continued to be aggressive, hitting Jono Boult for a towering six from his first ball and a series of fours.
Aiden Blizzard strolled to the crease and got stuck in to the Knights bowlers, hitting boundaries all around the park. He was almost caught by Vettori on 31, who took the ball but trod on the boundary rope in the process.
Aiden Blizzard was in superb touch for his 69*.
Blizzard and Broom's forceful stroke play and ability to find the boundary was the difference between the two teams' innings, and when the latter was bowled by Devcich in the sixteenth over for 37 from 42 balls, it was too late to affect the outcome. Peter Fulton hit a six and a four to finish on 17*, leaving Blizzard to end the game with a big six, giving his side the win by eight wickets with 13 balls to spare.
