Henry Cooper stars with big unbeaten maiden century

2020/21 ELIMINATION FINAL

3 March 2021
Seddon Park, Hamilton

NORTHERN DISTRICTS (Q2) 351/8 (42 overs)

beat

WELLINGTON FIREBIRDS (Q3) 145/7 (26.1 overs)

NORTHERN DISTRICTS WON BY 138 runs (DLS) and will meet Canterbury in the Grand Final

SCORES

Sent in, centurion Henry Cooper and ND captain Joe Carter put on 136 for the third wicket.

•••

Our Northern Districts team ahead of the elimination final tomorrow against the Wellington Firebirds.

The hard work over the past few years has paid off, our first elimination final since the 17/18 season.

Go well lads, the ND family is behind you! #NDTogether #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/rZ9jy50szi

— Northern Districts (@ndcricket) March 1, 2021

#FORDTROPHY Elimination Final at Seddon Park@ndcricket v @cricketwgtninc

Toss has been delayed until 11AM while ground dries off; 11.30AM start #cricketnation pic.twitter.com/Xv2utadENY

— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 2, 2021

TOSS | A toss win for Troy Johnson at Seddon Park and the Firebirds will bowl first 🏏

TEAM | Blundell (wk), Allen, Bhula, Bracewell, Johnson (c), Colson Gibson, Van Beek, Younghusband, Sears, Newton

📲 | https://t.co/S5LmgJfzZc
📺| https://t.co/8xD1nwaYvQ#WEAREWELLINGTON pic.twitter.com/0JqzCCmSxc

— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc) March 2, 2021

FORD TROPHY | A frustrating morning so far due to rain but we finally look to be underway!

First ball from 1:00pm with the match reduced to 42 overs per side 🏏

📲 | https://t.co/S5LmgJfzZc
📺| https://t.co/8xD1nwaYvQ#WEAREWELLINGTON #FordTrophy pic.twitter.com/waPoIbW1iV

— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc) March 2, 2021

Jeet Raval (33) put on 61 for the second wicket with Joe Carter before leg-spinner Peter Younghusband enticed a straightforward catch to Jamie Gibson...

75 off 71 balls for captain Joe Carter: seven boundaries, two sixes in a crucial stand with Cooper...

Henry Cooper reached his eighth List A 50 off 33 balls...

Losing opening bowler Ollie Newton to injury after just two overs created tactical dilemmas for the Firebirds...

Leg-spinner Peter Younghusband en route to 2-56...

WICKET | Cooper and Carter's partnership is finally broken by Younghusband!

Carter gone for 75 - Brett Hampton joins Cooper (87*) at the crease 🏏

ND 213/3 (28.4)
📲 | https://t.co/S5LmgJfzZc
📺| https://t.co/8xD1nwaYvQ#WEAREWELLINGTON #FordTrophy pic.twitter.com/bJj2Fjg2Z6

— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc) March 3, 2021

Big moment for Henry Cooper and @ndcricket in the Ford Trophy Elimination Final! Cooper with his maiden List A 100. Brings it up in just 67 balls. Watch play from Seddon Park LIVE here | https://t.co/yITfiytjRa #FordTrophy pic.twitter.com/umITXDJImg

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 3, 2021

Late wickets for the Firebirds but they still can't stop Cooper...

#FordTrophy

All of Henry Cooper's sixes, including 3 off 3 consecutive Ben Sears deliveries, in the Elimination Final 👀

💣💣💣💣💣💣💣 pic.twitter.com/9sh6RGKvNB

— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 4, 2021

#FORDTROPHY Elimination Final

Henry Cooper walks off unbeaten on 146*, his maiden List A 💯 & ND's 3rd biggest ever ton! ND's 351/8 is their 2nd highest ever one-day total... impressive effort in a 42-over game#CRICKETNATION@cricketwgtninc@ndcricket pic.twitter.com/Y8eTR6F3p2

— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 3, 2021

INNINGS BREAK | @ndcricket post a massive total at Seddon Park 😬

352 the target for the Firebirds to reach the #FordTrophy Grand Final 🎯

ND 351/8 (42)
📲 | https://t.co/S5LmgJfzZc
📺| https://t.co/8xD1nwaYvQ#WEAREWELLINGTON #FordTrophy pic.twitter.com/6xQpOa7cV6

— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc) March 3, 2021

Solid start from the Firebirds openers. 30 from the opening six 🏏

WEL 30/0 (6) | ND 351
📲 | https://t.co/MoUWquZNf2
📺| https://t.co/4AtEiHP9NO#WEAREWELLINGTON #FordTrophy

— Cricket Wellington (@cricketwgtninc) March 3, 2021

#fordtrophy Elimination Final

Lights have gone on here at Seddon Park, dark clouds looming. Firebirds 80/3 in the 17th pic.twitter.com/zv2lwzPonh

— #NZIII (@MargotButcher) March 3, 2021

Firebird Tom Blundell backs up his maiden century in his previous game with an unbeaten 80*...

...but wickets are crumbling at the other end...

The Wellington Firebirds are seven down and well behind the DLS par score when the rain returns and ends the match.

It's a Canterbury v Northern Districts Final under lights in Christchurch this Saturday!

See you Saturday @ndcricket!
#WeAreCanterbury #FordTrophy pic.twitter.com/prx42pBKt1

— Canterbury Cricket (@CanterburyCrick) March 3, 2021