SKYCITY Northern Knights 166-4 (Travis Birt 68, Dean Brownlie 35, Daryl Mitchell 35*, Adam Milne 1-19) beat Central Stags 141-6 (Jamie How 29, Jono Boult 2-27) by 25 runs.
The SKYCITY Northern Knights got home comfortably against the Central Stags after setting the visitors a 8.30 run an over chase that they were unable to trouble, thanks to some tight bowling.
Daniel Flynn went early for six, caught by George Worker from Adam Milne, who was working up good pace early. Anton Devich ticked along at a run a ball before being spectacularly caught for 19 by Milne at mid off, who leapt high, parried and regathered.
Dean Brownlie and Travis Burt put on a brisk 54 for the third wicket, and began hitting boundaries. Brownlie was punishing on anything short and was dropped by Milne on 27, before being tamely caught and bowled by Ajaz Patel for 35 from 25 balls.
Daryl Mitchell kept up the momentum and also made 35 from 25 balls - Birt was in fine touch, using a mix of cultured and the improvised to make 68 from 44 including five fours and four sixes and before being run out from the last ball of the innings.
In reply, the Stags batsmen all made starts, but tight bowling meant their chase never looked likely. George Worker and Ben Smith were ticking along at a run a ball before Scott Kuggeleijn got Smith caught by Dan Vettori for 19, and Mitchell Santner picked Worker up caught by Tim Seifert two overs later for the same score.
Kieran Noema-Barnett went for 11 to a fine running Kuggeleijn catch on the boundary and Will Young was caught for five by Devcich - Jamie How had ticked along at a run a ball for 29, before Ben Laughlin got him caught by Daryl Mitchell. When Bevan Small went for four, the Stags were 6-90 in the 16th, needing over 14 an over to win.
Kruger van Wyk (34) and Ben Wheeler (13) saw the innings out but couldn't get close, giving the win to the Knights by 25 and leaving them second on the table equal on points with the Kings, as they end their time at home in the regular season.
