The State Wellington Firebirds were trounced by the State Otago Volts by 117 runs in the lop-sided State Twenty20 match at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.
Otago were put into bat and smashed their way to 215 – the second time in as many game the southerners passed 200. They then rolled the home side for 98 after only 14.1 overs.
Opening pair Hamish Rutherford and Aaron Redmond amassed 125 for the first wicket. Rutherford was the key contributor striking 87 off 38 including eight fours and six sixes. Redmond was relatively pedestrian in comparison hitting a run a ball 32.
The platform created by the openers allowed the rest of the Volts line up to play freely with Nathan McCullum getting 24 and Greg Todd 30.
English professional Graham Napier was the pick of the Firebirds attack taking three for 31. Luke Woodcock also took three wickets in his four overs but leaked 45 runs.
Wellington were in trouble early with openers Chris Nevin, Stephen Fleming and Matthew Bell all back in the shed within two overs being bowled.
Warren McSkimming was the chief destroyer taking three for 28 with Neil Wagner and Nathan McCullum chiming in with two scalps each.
Jeremy Dean 20, BJ Crook 21 and James Franklin 31 all made useful contributions for the Firebirds but the massive total required someone to stand up and play a substantial innings.
It is two from two for the Volts who occupy the top of the table after the early stages of the competition.
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