Cricket: Knights undone by `Mac Attack'

By Terry Maddaford

HAMILTON - A blistering "Mac Attack" shattered Northern Districts' hopes of retaining the Shell Cup and has left Wellington to face an on-fire Canterbury in Saturday's final.

Canterbury completely outplayed the Knights to win yesterday's elimination semifinal at WestpacTrust Park by a massive 140 runs with Craig McMillan's 125 (from 102 balls) just one of the differences between the two sides.

From the time Gary Stead won the toss, the odds, already stacked heavily in the visitors' favour, got bigger.

The loss of Nathan Astle at 34 and Llorne Howell 50 runs later brought together McMillan and Black Caps team-mate Chris Harris. Their 141-run third-wicket stand killed the game stone dead and ensured Canterbury would have a crack at their sixth Cup triumph in eight years.

McMillan was at his innovative best. He hit 12 boundaries and five sixes to pick up 90 runs without leaving his crease. His reverse sweeps for three fours and a six had Canterbury coach Garry MacDonald shaking his bewildered head.

"I like the reverse sweep but [New Zealand coach] Steve Rixon isn't that keen," said McMillan as he savoured the comprehensive victory. "I'm really happy with my form but until today I hadn't had a hundred to show for it."

Of those reverse shots - one was almost a reverse pull - he said he had been practising it in the nets. "If you feel confident playing it, it's okay."

McMillan's only regret was his failure to come up with a $50,000 hit on to one of the sponsor's signs which would have added $25,000 to team funds. "I had a go but just missed."

Like his team-mates, he cannot wait to meet Wellington in the Basin Reserve final.

"Bring on Wellington," he said. "We love playing the Shell Cup final and that will be our third sudden-death game in a row."

ND captain Robbie Hart, who had little to savour from the abbreviated game as his side succumbed to the Geoff Allott-led blitz in just 27 overs, backs predictions of a Canterbury victory in Wellington after going down to both sides in the past five days.

"I think Canterbury are a far better side," said Hart, who could point only to a four-wicket haul for Alex Tait (in taking his Cup tally to 99) as a bright spot in the game.

"I have a lot of admiration for the way they play. I'll be surprised if they come up against much competition from Wellington.

"We did not deserve to win. It was a great innings by Craig McMillan. To have any chance we had to take the game to them but we never had that opportunity."

So emphatic was the victory, Canterbury did not have to call on the medium pace of McMillan or Stephen Cunis. They used six bowlers, none bowled more than five overs and Allott and Harris picked up three wickets each and Chris Cairns two.

Pictured: Canterbury's Craig McMillan during his 125-run blitz against Northern Districts in Hamilton. HERALD PICTURE / BRENDON O'HAGAN