Finn's fastest century| PHOTOSPORT

Flying Finn on fire with record ton

Posted Sunday, 28 February, 2021 in Match Reports

Video Highlights

ROUND TEN

WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS beat OTAGO VOLTS by 82 runs

28 February 2021
Basin Reserve, Wellington

SCORES

SELECTED MILESTONES

 

  • Finn Allen maiden List A century
  • Tom Blundell maiden List A century
  • Finn Allen equal fastest NZ Domestic List A century in balls (50)
  • Highest Wellington Firebirds total in List A cricket
  • Michael Rae, Nathan Smith (Otago Volts) highest NZ Domestic List A partnership for the 10th wicket
  • Michael Rae List A career best batting

Finn Allen's golden summer at his new home continued as the 21-year-old batting sensation blasted the equal fastest century in Ford Trophy history.

It was Allen's first century in any format for his Wellington Firebirds side as he reached three figures off just 50 balls.

In fact both the Wellington Firebirds' opening batsmen, Allen and Tom Blundell (previous best 97) posted their maiden List A centuries in a partnership of 191 for the first wicket - a new first-wicket record for the Firebirds in matches against the Volts in The Ford Trophy.

Allen plundered eight boundaries and eight sixes in his electrifying ton, going on to reach 128 off 59 balls (nine boundaries, 11 sixes) before Michael Rae broke the stand in the 21st over - by which time the Firebirds' score had raced out to 191 for one.

Blundell almost stayed the distance as he batted on into the 48th over, his marathon effort ensuring that the Firebirds posted a 400+ total for the first time in their List A history. Blundell finished with a superb 151 off 140 balls (17 boundaries, one six). That was the third highest individual innings in the Firebirds' List A history.

Their combined efforts set the Firebirds up for a new New Zealand List A record total (all teams) of 427 for eight in their 50 overs, surpassing the previous record that had been held by the Central Stags (417/6 at Seddon Park in 2012/13, the match in which Central Stags opener Jamie How scored the only double century in The Ford Trophy's history, while batting partner Jeet Raval scored his maiden century).

The Firebirds' previous best List A total had been 365 at Eden Park Outer Oval in 2012/13, and their previous best at the Basin 352/2 that same season against the Volts.

Firebirds captain Troy Johnson had won the toss and elected to bat as one of five of the six Domestic teams that had headed into today's 10th and final round of the regular season with finals berths in their sights.

It was a hard-fought loss in a heavy-scoring game at the Basin, the Otago Volts posting their sixth highest List A total in response as they went after the Firebirds' mammoth 427/8 - reaching 345 in their chase despite having lost their hard-hitting top order early.

After a record 10th wicket stand between Nathan Smith and Michael Rae as the undaunted Volts fought to the end, an aggregate of 772 runs was scored in the match - placing it among the highest match aggregates in New Zealand List A history, that record still held by the Central Stags and Northern Districts at Seddon Park with 815 in 2013.

Fastest Ford Trophy centuries

  • 50 balls: Finn Allen, Wellington Firebirds v Otago Volts at the Basin Reserve, Wellington 2020/21
  • 50 balls: Peter Fulton, Canterbury v Wellington Firebirds (in the Final) at Mainpower Oval, Rangiora 2016/17
  • 52 balls: Brendon McCullum, Otago Volts v Auckland Aces (in the Final) at Eden Park Outer Oval, Auckland 2007/08

 
A maximum of 5 points is available per team today.
 
Points after Round 9
Canterbury - 27
ND - 22
Otago Volts - 20
Auckland Aces - 18
Wellington Firebirds - 18
___________________
 
Central Stags - 12

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