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Central Stags batting star Ross Taylor proved that he is the man for the big occasion, clubbing a six in the final over to secure a four wicket win over the Northern Knights at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
In a match where the ball dominated the bat, Taylor’s 28 off 12 deliveries proved to be the difference.
The Stags were chasing a revised total of 95 off 12 overs after showers interrupted play five overs into their innings. They were faltering in pursuit, losing four wickets for 59, before Taylor took the match by the scruff of the neck and powered his team to victory.
Taylor hit three sixes in his inning and struck his last one to win the match with three balls to spare.
New BLACKCAP Peter Ingram made a positive start to the reply with 26 off 22 at the top of the order with Mathew Sinclair contributing a useful 22 off 15.
Daniel Vettori did his best get the Knights into the final, taking two for 10 off his two overs. The accurate bowling display is enough to see Vettori move into the number one spot in the HRV Cup MVP points table.
Earlier, captain James Marshall helped the Knights recover from a disastrous start to put on a competitive 148 for nine.
Batting at number six Marshall scored 59 not out off 42 with opener Peter McGlashan hitting 30 off 25 but the Knights needed more from their top order with Tillerkaratne Dilshan, Daniel Vettori and BJ Watling falling to single figure scores – all dismissed by Stags seamer Graeme Napier.
Napier got plenty out of the sluggish Seddon Park wicket to finish with three for 33. Kieran Noema-Barnett claimed two for 20.
The win sees the Central Stags clear at the top of the table, giving them home advantage in the HRV Cup final against the Auckland Aces on Sunday.
The Northern Knights finish in fourth place behind the Otago Volts.
HRV Cup Final
Central Stags v Auckland Aces
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
Sunday, 31 January 2010
1:30pm
