Cricket: Guptill leads the way again for hot Aces

Otago bowler Jimmy Neeshan appeals for the wicket of Auckland batsman Martin Guptil yesterday. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Auckland again showed their T20 credentials last night easing to a win over Otago, and if they're to be beaten someone will have to figure out how to stop Martin Guptill.

The defending champion Aces comfortably dispatched the Volts by 30 runs at Colin Maiden Park, with Guptill again proving in prolific run-scoring touch.

The New Zealand opener, fresh off his record breaking 120no against Canterbury in the last round, notched 65 off 45 as Auckland posted a mammoth 187-2. They defended that total without real threat to go clear of Canterbury at the top of the HRV Cup standings.

Batting first, the Aces initially appeared content to turn over the strike rather than lash out, but that began to change in the ninth over when Guptill cut loose.

Already the leading run scorer in the competition, Guptill set about consolidating that position, smacking six sixes during an 88-run partnership with Azhar Mahmood. Guptill brought up the Auckland 100 after 12 overs but, just when a repeat Tuesday's knock looked likely, Guptill went for one big shot too many and was caught in the deep for 64 off 45 off the bowling of Jimmy Neesham.

Colin de Grandhomme was promoted up the order to continue Auckland's momentum and did just that, hitting Neil Wagner for six off his second ball. De Grandhomme went deep once more before Otago found an effective if illegal way of putting a halt to his big hitting. An apologetic James McMillan lost control of a full ball and sent a beamer into de Grandhomme's elbow, forcing him to leave the field on 15.

Mahmood didn't let de Grandhomme's departure halt the progress of Auckland's innings, finishing with 79 from 49 balls as he guided the Aces to an imposing 187-2.

In reply, the Volts made the strange move of opening with strike bowler Wagner and leaving Brendon McCullum in the sheds. The promotion didn't pay off with Wagner falling for four in the second over.

McCullum and Aaron Redmond were keeping near the required run rate of nine in the seventh over when it all began to fall apart. McCullum's dismissal for 26 triggered a top order collapse which saw Otago lost four wickets for five runs, leaving the Volts teetering at 56-5 and Auckland firmly in charge.

From there, only one team was likely to win it and Auckland made no mistake, restricting Otago to 157-8, despite a resolute 56-run partnership between Dimitri Mascarenhas and Nathan McCullum.

Spinner Ronnie Hira was the standout bowler for the Aces, claiming 3-17 from his four overs, including the consecutive wickets of Jimmy Neesham and Redmond to turn the tide in Auckland's favour.

Elsewhere, Canterbury stayed on Auckland coat tails with a commanding 61-win over a listless Wellington at the Basin Reserve.

Canterbury got off to a flying start and looked set to threaten 190 when openers George Worker (45) and Rob Nicol (16) began their innings at pace. Peter Fulton (44) kept the momentum ticking over but, when Worker departed after he skied a catch from the bowling of Jeetan Patel, Canterbury's innings lost its mojo.

From 84-2 as Worker left the field, they staggered to 151-8 from their 20 overs, as Patel (3-18) and Andy McKay (3-19) kept Wellington in the match.

In reply, Wellington's chase never got off the ground as Matt Henry claimed the scalps of Rory Hamilton-Brown and Michael Pollard early on.

Only James Franklin cracked double figures with 33. Nicol claimed a match-best 4-21 from four overs.