Cricket: Auckland beat Canterbury to keep playoff hopes alive

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Auckland are alive in the race for domestic T20 playoff spots this weekend.

Their five-wicket win over Canterbury at Hagley Oval in Christchurch puts them third, two points ahead of Canterbury, whom they meet again in their penultimate round robin game in Napier tomorrow.

They should have made no race of the win, after rolling a listless Canterbury for just 118 in 19.1 overs. Instead it came down to the final over, eight runs needed, before Brad Cachopa struck two fours in consecutive balls to get Auckland home with two balls to spare.

Auckland captain Rob Nicol, for the second time in three games, played a telling hand.

Having clouted an unbeaten 71 off 43 balls to oversee a win over Wellington last Friday night, Nicol batted through Canterbury's reply last night, finishing 52 not out. Without that hand, things would have been distinctly sticky for the visitors.

Earlier only Ronnie Hira and import Aiden Blizzard made double figures for Canterbury.

Former Auckland player and international Hira was dropped twice early en route to helping himself to 53 off 39 balls.

But Auckland's bowling was solid, led by allrounder Donovan Grobbelaar, who picked up his best T20 figures, four for 10 off 3.1 overs.

Auckland were comfortable, needing 39 in six overs and plenty of wickets in hand, before former international Hamish Bennett produced a fine over conceding just one, to give him impressive match figures of 4-0-11-2.

Auckland needed 16 off the last two overs, and Canterbury forced it to the end when Cachopa had the final say.

The final Georgie Pie Super Smash placings will be decided over the weekend in Napier, with five games scheduled from tonight.

Auckland face Canterbury tomorrow afternoon before finishing against leaders Northern Districts on Sunday night.

It's still tight, but Auckland have given themselves a big chance of being in the business end.

Points: ND 22 (8 games), Wellington 22 (9), Auckland 18 (8), Canterbury 16 (8), CD 10 (7), Otago 8 (8).