Central Stags beat Northern Districts by six wickets - bonus point win
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
6 January 2022
A convincing bonus-point win has the Central Stags flying high after a successful rematch with Northern Districts at a sweltering Pukekura Park today.
The two teams had split the points in a Hamilton washout three weeks ago, but today's rematch in sunny New Plymouth provided a six-wicket victory for the Stags with former BLACKCAP Seth Rance netting his one-day career best haul of 4-25 - bettering the 4-32 the swing veteran took in 2015/16.
Later, blaster Josh Clarkson played himself back into touch with a quick match-winning unbeaten 50* off just 24 balls in the chase, including four sixes, dominating the closing stages in a 50-run stand with Brad Schmulian.
For the visitors, BLACKCAPS spinner Mitch Santner was back for the first time in ND colours this season and marking his 100th List A appearance.
But little went to plan for Santner and Northern who lost Tim Seifert in Rance's first over of the day, and lost their way after a regular loss of wickets to find themselves bowled out for just 143 in the 36th over.
Joe Carter (38) and Jeet Raval (26) had given their side hope of better fortunes as they grappled hard for a second-wicket stand of 64 after having been sent in.
The pivotal moment proved to be not only the early loss of Seifert, but the loss of captain Carter in the 18th as wicketkeeper Bayley Wiggins dived forward to snaffle a good take off Blair Tickner (2-18): one of five dismissals with the gloves for stand-in keeper Wiggins.
Despite a calling calamity costing a cheap wicket in Tom Bruce, the Stags ticked off a chase of 144 with few other dramas as they notched a first win in the one-day format, after Northern had taken a big T20 win off them just days earlier at the same ground.
