Doug Bracewell's comeback was not enough to deliver a Stags victory over the Aces at Pukekura Park on Sunday in the crucial eighth round Ford Trophy game.
Doug Bracewell's comeback was not enough to deliver a Stags victory over the Aces at Pukekura Park on Sunday in the crucial eighth round Ford Trophy game.
The Central Stags under their new Whanganui captain Ben Smith are now at long odds to qualify for the Ford Trophy playoffs after a four wicket loss to the Auckland Aces at Pukekura Park in New Plymouth yesterday.
Auckland have had good success against the Stags at Pukekura, with itssmall boundaries, and after winning the toss and putting the home team into bat, had something to work with after Central Districts raised a competitive but gettable 282-8.
Smith was among a top order that all made runs, scoring 25 from 40 balls, including two pull shots for boundaries.
He holed out to a good running catch by Black Cap Jeet Raval off the bowling of Louis Delport (2-47).
By then, the Stags were 135-2 in the 26th over, after the opening pair of Manawatu's George Worker (32) and Hawke's Bay wicketkeeper Bayley Wiggins (98) had then off to a solid start, with 21-year-old Wiggins just missing a century in his first List A innings.
After debuting last week but not batting, Central Stags opener Bayley Wiggins only just missed a century in his first List A innings during the loss to the Auckland Aces on Sunday.
Hawke's Bay's Kieran Noema-Barnett (27 from 20 balls) and Nelson's Josh Clarkson (44 from 41) looked to maintain the momentum, but Auckland bowled well under the conditions – taking wickets at key stages to keep the Stags well under a Pukekura par score of 300.
The bowlers shared the honours, with the wickets split between Delport, Danru Ferns (2-47), Benjamin Lister (2-50) and Kyle Jamieson (2-60).
In his 50th List A game, opener Raval then delivered with a match-winning 118 from 120 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and two sixes.
Raval received support from skipper Craig Cachopa (26) and Finn Allen (30), before he was finally bowled by Marlborough's Ben Wheeler (2-62) at 228-4 at the start of the 42nd over.
Robert O'Donnell (46 from 45) and wicketkeeper Ben Horne (31 not out from 20) then brought their side home strong, despite the Aces giving up a couple of late catches off the bowling of Wairarapa's Seth Rance (2-54).
Jamieson came in to strike a boundary off the last ball of the 48th over for the ultimately comfortable win.
Black Cap Doug Bracewell made his Stags comeback from knee surgery, finishing with 0-41 from his seven overs.
The victory locked the Aces into the Top 3 with eight days until the Ford Trophy finals start with the elimination playoff, with Auckland (6-2) needing just one win from their last two games to bypass straight to the Grand Final as top qualifier.
Currently bottom of the table, but only six points back from the third-placed Wellington Firebirds (4-4), the Stags (2-5-1) need to win both their remaining games and hope other results go their way to scrape into the elimination match.
Rance is currently the leading wicket taker in the competition with 16, while Worker is third on the batting list with 367 runs and Smith makes the Top 5 with 327.
They take on the Firebirds tomorrow at the Basin Reserve, starting 11am.
