Knights make it home to beat Aces

A see-saw win over competition leaders, the Auckland Aces, has produced a belief that the Northern Knights they can retain their one-day title.
The match at Cobham Oval was never one-sided yesterday but the Knights finally got home, passing the Aces' total of 239, with 11 balls and three wickets remaining.
The victory gives them a chance of a home final. With Central Districts losing to Otago in New Plymouth, the Knights passed them to move into second place and will play the Aces again on Saturday in Auckland for direct entry into the final with the winner hosting the final.
The loser of the game will play the winner of the Canterbury-Central match, next week for the other final berth.
"The win today obviously gives us the momentum we need to try and win a home final," Knights captain Hamish Marshall said.
Auckland's downfall was built on two partnerships, both involving the in-form Kane Williamson. The Tauranga teenager combined with Hamish Marshall to score an invaluable 119 to resurrect the innings after BJ Watling and Michael Parlane were dismissed early, leaving the Knights in trouble at 2/6.
Marshall was dismissed by a great Lance Shaw run out, caught out of his crease with his score 66, the first and last error of his innings. The wicket brought Auckland back into the game particularly after Daniel Flynn and James Marshall were dismissed in successive overs.
But Joey Yovich stopped the rot with a patient 39, scoring 79 with Williamson, who reached 81 before both batsmen perished trying to end the game early. As against Central on Saturday, it was left to Graeme Aldridge and Brad Scott to get the side home. "We knew that two big partnerships would get us home and we got that and while it was tight at times, we found a way to win which is important," the captain said.
Knights puts the Aces into bat after winning the toss and did well to restrict them to 239 on a batting track after some wayward bowling gave the Aces the start they were after.
Yovich provided the breakthrough, bowling Reece Young in the 12th over, and when fellow opener Tim McIntosh perished two overs later, the Knights were back in the game. They then took the wicket of Scott Styris for 12, they began to edge ahead in the battle on the batter friendly wicket. When captain Gareth Hopkins followed soon after the Knights were in control but a partnership of 86 between Ravi Bopara and Andrew De Boorder rescued the Aces
innings.
Bopara, in particular, batted judiciously, reaching 89 before he was caught trying to slog his way to his century. De Boorder perished for 32 with the return of Yovich  and  good bowling and fielding saw the Aces dismissed in the 50th over. Bradley Scott (3/43/10) and Yovich (3/50/9) were the pick of the Knights bowlers, constantly picking up wickets to disrupt the Auckland innings.