2022/23 • ROUND 9
CENTRAL STAGS defeated NORTHERN DISTRICTS by 3 wickets
McLean Park, Napier
Waitangi Day, 6 February 2023
Points this round: Stags 4, ND 0
Selected milestones
Career best bowling: Josh Clarkson
Equal Stags List A record, most field catches in an innings: Will Young
100 List A career wickets for ND: Scott Kuggeleijn
Career best bowling: Tim Pringle
All images | MBUTCHER
It's déja vu and the Stags could not be happier about it.
Last summer's top qualifiers in The Ford Trophy have again qualified top this season, Central securing direct entry to the 19 February Grand Final at John Davies Oval in Queenstown with a round to spare.
Still stinging from having been knocked out of the Dream11 Super Smash a few days earlier by Northern Brave in Hamilton, on their home turf in front of a home crowd, the Stags turned the tables on Northern Districts in the other white-ball format with a three-wicket win in their top-of-the-table Ford Trophy clash.
The drawn-out chase that got them across the line wasn't as convincing as the Stags would have liked, chasing just 206 for victory after having dismissed ND for 205 in 48.3 overs.
However, the hosts had done well to overcome the early loss of key allrounder Doug Bracewell who left the field after bowling two overs up front, with a groin niggle.
Their fielding was on point, Will Young with three sharp catches in the innings, while stepping up in Bracewell's absence was his apprentice Josh Clarkson.
The maturing Clarkson played as a batsman only for a couple of seasons as he healed from a back injury, but now looks to be well and truly back to genuine allrounder status. He played a vital role, and returned his List A career best figures of 3-25.
Clarkson struck with just his third delivery to remove Tim Seifert (38) as he embarked on an eight-over spell in tandem with left-arm spinners Ajaz Patel and Jayden Lennox on a sweltering afternoon at McLean Park.
Patel went on to claim the big wicket of Kane Williamson who top-scored for ND with 43, Williamson's first Ford Trophy appearance since 2014.
Williamson's knock included a one-handed six that delighted the punters and the occasion was also a special one for his relatives and family, with cousins Williamson and Dane Cleaver playing against each other for the first time since the Gillette Cup when they were still at high school - Tauranga Boys' College versus Palmerston North Boys' High.
With Joe Carter chipping in 41, there were handy starts for ND.
But no one in the visiting side kicked on, then Clarkson came back at the death for the wickets of Neil Wagner and Kristian Clarke in his final two-over spell to ensure there was no late damage.
At 126/1 in reply, the Stags had looked to be cruising, but a cluster of wickets let ND right back into the game and ensured the Stags would not take a bonus point for good measure.
Young spinner Tim Pringle again impressed, taking his List A career best 3-21 in this format while the relentless Wagner (1-34) took the big wicket of Will Young on 71.
Young and Brad Schmulian had shared the 87-run second-wicket stand that had seen Central ticking along so nicely, but Wagner's blow in the 36th over at 151/4 opened the door.
The Stags lost a further three wickets in relatively short succession before Bracewell, having dropped down the order to nine, returned to the fray to help captain Tom Bruce (27 not out) get the side home with 2.4 overs to spare.
The top three teams at the end of the 10 rounds all qualify for Finals in Queenstown, with only the top placegetter gaining direct entry to the Grand Final and the other two playing off for the chance to join them.
All six teams have one round of the regular season remaining, on 14 February. The Stags remain in Napier to host Canterbury, with Canterbury (vulnerable in third spot) needing a win to ensure their own ticket to Queenstown.
Northern Districts remain the other frontrunner for the 17 February Elimination Final, but will need to beat the Otago Volts in Dunedin to make certain of qualifying.
Defending champion the Auckland Aces and the Wellington Firebirds, currently in fifth and sixth spot respectively, play each other, and need a substantial win to boost their own chances of squeaking into the playoffs.
In the event of equal points, number of wins is the first separator, followed by number of bonus points, then net run rate.
