ROUND 1 of 10
OTAGO VOLTS defeated NORTHERN DISTRICTS by 175 runs - bonus point win
20 October 2024
Cobham Oval, Whangārei
Points: Otago Volts 5, Northern Districts 0
SELECTED MILESTONES
- Fergus Lellman: List A debut (ND)
- Robbie O'Donnell: List A debut for Northern Districts (previously Auckland Aces)
- Luke Georgeson: first match as Otago Volts captain
- Leo Carter: List A debut for Otago Volts (previously Canterbury)
- Otago Volts: fourth highest margin of victory (by runs) in Volts List A matches
All images: PHOTOSPORT
Before the day got going, someone made the mistake of trolling the Otago Volts.
OK, so it wasn't exactly trolling - it was cold, hard, plain fact. A social media post noting the last time that each Major Association had won The Ford Trophy.
Four modern pics, and two extremely vintage photos - the oldest belonging to the Volts. They've only won this thing twice in five and a half decades, and the last time was when Brendon McCullum was still playing for them and Mike Hesson was coach...
Fast forward to the end of the day and Otago held the early Ford Trophy lead after an explosive all-round performance - leaving Northern Districts shell-shocked in Northland, and the Volts with one of their biggest ever margins of victory.
Fired up, much?
Under a new coach and captain, even a Duffy-less line-up (Jacob Duffy called away to the BLACKCAPS in India) looked the business as they shattered ND's hopes of a positive start in the opening round of the season.
Sent in by ND, the Volts produced some solid teamwork to tot up a 300+ total on the scoreboard, on one of the country's bigger parks.
Opener Dale Phillips (above) top-scored with 89 in two and a half hours, lasting until the 38th over. Support came from multiple quarters with Leo Carter (53) producing a half century in his first outing in his new non-red strip and new captain Luke Georgeson (40) adding late runs that really annoyed their sweating hosts.
Carter and Phillips had set the whole show up with a 119-run fourth wicket stand, the Volts reaching 316/9 in their 50 overs. That was one of their top 13 all-time one-day scores.
ND had bravely gone into battle without Neil Wagner, who was running the drinks.
But another senior paceman Scott Kuggeleijn (above) impressed with 4/50, and big Scott Johnston came away with 3/62, but the Volts had targetd him and Kristian Clarke, while Brett Hampton did a relatively good containment job without wickets.
It was all a bit relentless and ND needed a good start in reply.
Instead, three wickets fell in the first dozen overs, one of them being dashing young Fergus Lellman (above) who scored 33 at the top in his first one-day appearance for his team.
The big problem for Northern is that it was their highest score of the day.
Dale Phillips takes a catch | PHOTOSPORT
All of the Volts attack was tidy, and Matt Bacon led the way with 3/20 off his six overs.
ND found themselves all out for 141 in the 39th over, stung and stunned. Otago's bonus point and emphatic style propelled them to the technical lead on the table, fractionally ahead of the day's other bonus point winner, Canterbury.
Northern now head to Pukekura Park to play the Central Stags on Wednesday where both sides will still be looking to get on the board. The Volts are meanwhile off to Hagley Oval in a clash between the two big first round winners, on today's evidence - buckle your seats.
