KEY POINTS:
A tight bowling and fielding performance handed Central Districts the Twenty20 domestic cricket title after beating Northern Districts by five wickets in the final at New Plymouth yesterday.
Northern could only manage 148, which was never likely to be enough in excellent batting conditions at Pukekura Park.
Central took advantage of the tiny boundaries to reach 150 for five with 3.3 overs remaining, crashing eight sixes compared to the visitors' four.
Central's powerful batting lineup had been the key to topping the standings through five rounds and earning home ground advantage.
However, their bowlers were the key figures yesterday, with none of the five used conceding more than eight runs an over.
Leg spinner Robbie Schaw was the most successful, taking three for 31 while international pace bowlers Jacob Oram and Mike Mason both claimed two wickets with the new ball.
Mark Orchard's 33 from 22 balls at the top of the Northern innings was their only knock of note as their rate of scoring slowed considerably through the middle stages.
Central flew out of the blocks with openers Jamie How (29) and Geoff Barnett (36 off 15 balls) putting on 52 inside five overs.
The innings stuttered slightly but Central were always ahead of their target. Oram guided them home with an unbeaten 34 off 23 balls.
- NZPA
