Cricket: Taylor's batting masterclass steers Central to title

Auckland's Jacob Oram (centre), Jamie Howie (left) and Ross Taylor celebrate after taking the final wicket. Photo / Gettt Images

A Ross Taylor batting masterclass propelled Central Districts to a 78-run victory over a hapless Auckland in today's final of the national Twenty20 championship.

With the win, Central Districts who scored 206 for six after being sent in to bat, also earned a place in the lucrative international Champions League to be played in India at the end of the year.

Auckland, facing a run rate of better than 10.3 an over for the win crumbled to 128 all out in 16.1 overs in the face of some fine bowling and fielding from Central Districts.

Central opening bowler Graham Napier who took two for 17 in three overs was in an aggressive mood.

A couple of short pentrating deliveries jarred the helmets of Auckland opener Martin Guptill and Anaru Kitchen.

Michael Mason, Jacob Oram, Seth Rance and Kieran Noema-Barnett also feasted on Auckland's need to take risks and chase the runs, with each also taking two wickets.

At 83 runs for seven wickets by the 11th over, Auckland's hopes of victory were over although national under-19 representative Jimmy Neesham took his chance to impress with a breezy 39 off 20 balls.

Earlier, some tight bowling from Michael Bates and Daryl Tuffey had Central strugling in the 11th over at 71 for three when Peter Ingram was bowled by Ravi Bopara for 54 off 36 balls.

But Tayler, in tandem with all rounder Noema-Barnett, launched a blistering attack in a fourth wicket partnership that amassed 133 runs of just 53 balls.

Taylor, last man out off the last ball of the innings, blasted 80 runs off just 30 balls while Noema-Barnett took 28 deliveries for his 49.

Bates bore the brunt of the Taylor hurricane in the 17th over with 27 runs, including three consecutive sixes, coming off it. In all Taylor hit five boundaries and eight soaring sixes.

However the Bates, whose figures were none for 59 the start of the final over, bounced back to take the wickets of Noema-Barnett, Oram and Taylor to close Central's innings.

- NZPA