The Central Stags are now removed from contention for the Ford Trophy finals with one round robin game remaining after the 118-run hammering by the Wellington Firebirds at the Basin Reserve yesterday.
Ben Smith handed the captaincy back over to another Whanganui Collegiate old boy in Tom Bruce, just returned from Black Caps duties, and Bruce put the home side into bat for what would be a 46-over match after a weather delay.
It proved fateful as the Firebirds ran up an imposing 293-5, after in-form No 3 batsman Devon Conway continued his strong summer with 112 from 89 balls, including eight boundaries and three sixes.
Conway has now scored at least a half century or better from his last five List A matches.
He shared a 114-run partnership with opener Andrew Fletcher (70) to set up the Firebirds innings, while the Stags missed the only-just returned Doug Bracewell, who was a late scratching due to an injury niggle.