Cricket: Wellington claim T20 spoils

Wellington opener Michael Pollard anchored his side's innings. Photo / Getty

Wellington will make their maiden appearance in the Twenty20 Champions League after today edging Auckland to claim the inaugural Georgie Pie Super Smash.

An imperious effort with the bat from Michael Pollard was backed up by a penetrating performance with the ball as Wellington earned a six-run victory at Seddon Park.

The Firebirds will be rewarded with a trip to next year's Champions League, where they will be the fifth Kiwi side to chase cricket's riches, leaving Canterbury as the only province yet to play on the shortest form's biggest stage.

Wellington earned their place after a busy finals weekend in Hamilton, beating defending champions Northern Districts on Friday before knocking over Auckland today.

After Pollard scored 76 to help his side amass 186-6 from their 20 overs, the Wellington bowlers took regular wickets to leave Auckland's tail with far too much to do. The Aces' lower order batsmen nearly pulled out the match, with Lockie Ferguson left needed six from the final ball to tie the scores, but Dane Hutchinson did enough to prevent a super over.

The real hero for Wellington wasn't found among the bowling staff, though. Pollard picked the perfect time to compile his highest T20 score, anchoring the Firebirds' innings and smashing six sixes in a 56-ball knock.

The 25-year-old was a steady presence as early wickets fell around him, finding assistance in the Wellington middle order and combining with James Franklin (31 off 17) and Grant Elliott (40no off 17) to decide the match.

Pollard and Franklin enjoyed a 79-run stand from 42 balls for the fourth wicket, with the pair taking 39 from a couple of loose overs from Tarun Nethula and Colin de Grandhomme. Both batsmen fell in quick succession and provided Auckland with a chance to clamp on the brakes, but that chance was squandered as Elliott closed out the innings to put his side in control.

Auckland looked up to the challenge in the early overs, storming to 48-1 after five and 86-2 after 10. The Aces needed to go at 10 an over for the remainder of the innings and, with a middle order stacked with big hitters, that task seemed within their capabilities.

But Elliott completed a fine all-round match by claiming the crucial wickets of Craig Cachopa (37 off 35) and Colin Munro (34 off 23), and that slump became even worse when de Grandhomme and Donovan Grobbelaar fell cheaply in consecutive balls.

Auckland still had a chance with five overs to play, needing 53 with four wickets in hand, and a late flurry from Michael Bates provided further hope. But that hope was extinguished when Bates holed out on the final ball of the penultimate over.