Cricket: Noema-Barnett smashes Otago

Kieian Noema-Barnett. Photo / Getty Images

Kieran Noema-Barnett clubbed a domestic Twenty20 cricket record as Central Districts returned to the winner's circle against Otago in Invercargill today.

The defending champions snapped a three-match losing streak and consigned winless Otago to their fourth defeat with a seven-wicket win at Queens Park that owed plenty to the slashing blade of Noema-Barnett.

The stocky left-hander raced to an unbeaten 57 off just 18 balls, striking seven sixes as his side flew to 178 for three in 17.3 overs.

He took just 14 balls to reach 50, surpassing the competition record of 15 balls previously held by Martin Guptill for Auckland.

Openers George Worker and Peter Ingram scored 43 and 28 respectively to lay the foundations for Noema-Barnett, who clubbed four sixes of Darren Stevens' fourth and final over.

Earlier, Neil Broom and Derek de Boorder both scored rapid, unbeaten 38s to lift Otago to 175 for six, a score that seemed highly competitive.

SCOREBOARD

Otago
A Redmond b Blackwell 25
H Rutherford c Worker b Milne 7
C Cumming c Bracewell b Yardy 13
D Stevens c Sinclair b Milne 26
C Nash lbw b Yardy 1
N Broom not out 38
I Butler c Sinclair b Bracewell 10
D de Boorder not out 38
Extras (2b, 8lb, 4w, 3nb) 17
Total (for 6 wkts, 20 overs) 175

Fall: 29, 41, 76, 84, 84, 96

Bowling: M Mason 4-0-25-0 (2w), D Bracewell 4-0-34-1 (1nb), A Milne 4-0-51-2 (2nb), M Yardy 4-0-34-2, I Blackwell 4-0-21-1 (1w)

Central Districts
P Ingram st de Boorder b Nash 28
G Worker c Beard b Nash 43
M Sinclair c de Boorder b Butler 22
K Noema-Barnett not out 57
M Yardy not out 18
Extras (4lb, 6w) 10
Total (for 3 wkts, 17.3 overs) 178

Fall: 58, 100, 101

Bowling: D Stevens 4-0-43-0 (1w), J McMillan 3.3-0-40-0 (1w), N Wagner 2-0-29-0 (1w), C Nash 4-0-24-2, N Beard 2-0-20-0 (1w), I Butler 2-0-18-1

Result: Central Districts win by 7 wickets

- NZPA