Despite twin centuries and a record partnership, the Central Stags still couldn’t beat Canterbury in today’s top-of-the-table Ford Trophy clash in Rangiora — the defending national champion taking the outright lead halfway through the men's one-day regular season.
Canterbury is looking for a rare title threepeat (along with the Otago Sparks in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield — which begins this Saturday; and Wellington Blaze in the women’s Super Smash), and will now hold a four-point advantage when the championship resumes on 4 February 2026, in a still-tight race for the NZC Finals.
The Stags recovered today from early strife at 91/4 in the 27th over to reach 264/5, after having opted to bat at Mainpower Oval.
Tom Bruce produced a relatively restrained 102 not out and leading allrounder Josh Clarkson (100) helped him break their own fifth-wicket record for Stags one-dayers against Canterbury in a partnership of 173.
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It edged the unbroken 167* they had put on together against the same team in the 2023 Grand Final in Napier, in which matchwinner Clarkson had also scored a century.
But, despite the early loss of the country’s top batter Henry Nicholls, Canterbury soon seized control as their potent top order eased through the chase - just 32 runs were required from the last dozen overs, with eight wickets still in hand.
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It was textbook stuff from solid Canterbury as the Stags ran into a red-and-black wall in the form of Chad Bowes (102 off 97 balls) and BLACKCAP Tom Latham (left stranded on 97 not out, off 100 balls).
That pair put on 166 for the second wicket in the eight-wicket win, Rhys Mariu putting on the finishing touches with a run-a-ball 44 not out in the 44th over.
It was Bowes’s ninth Ford Trophy century, and seventh for Canterbury.
Tom Latham | PHOTOSPORT
Although Blair Tickner had him out soon after, the damage was done: Canterbury needed just 71 further runs to win after the opener’s dismissal.
The second-wicket partnership had also broken a record for Canterbury, surpassing the unbroken 130* that Bowes and Stephen Murdoch put on in 2019/20 at Pukekura Park, for List A matches between these two particular sides.
Meanwhile in the capital, former frontrunner the Auckland Aces bounced back from a tough couple of outings with an impressive 54-run victory over the Wellington Firebirds at the Cello Basin Reserve.
Sent in, Auckland got off to the worst possible start this morning when Firebirds paceman Liam Dudding (above, PHOTOSPORT) bowled Dale Phillips with the first delivery of the game, and captain Sean Solia followed him in shortly after at 0/2.
However, the visitors recovered to post a competitive 286/9 thanks to a run-a-ball century from keeper-batter Cam Fletcher, celebrating his 100th Ford Trophy appearance (various teams) appropriately.
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With support from Harrish Kannan (32) and Jock McKenzie (an unbeaten 48*), Fletcher made the difference - and was immediately back in the thick of the action after lunch as he collected a catch to give McKenzie and the Aces their first Wellington wicket with just the third ball of the second innings in an action-packed game.
The Firebirds clawed their way back from their rocky start of 8/2 thanks to half centuries from captain Nick Kelly (54) and Tom Blundell (77).
Jock McKenzie | PHOTOSPORT
Further wickets put too much pressure on the fragile lower order, and the Firebirds fell short at 232/9 in reply - allowing the Aces to leapfrog them back into the top three, where last year's three finalists are all currently to be found.
Luck continued to elude the winless Otago Volts who at least got on the board today with two points from their Mt Maunganui washout, away to Northern Districts.
Northern was in good shape at 209/5, after having been sent in, when drizzle stopped play - former age-group star, Indian-born 20-year-old Aryan Mann coming into the ND playing XI on debut after a last-minute injury to keeper Ben Pomare.
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• Domestic attention now turns to rounds one and two of the women’s Hallyburton Johnstone Shield this weekend in New Plymouth, Whangārei and Dunedin, while for the men, the first-class Plunket Shield championship (four-day cricket, red ball) begins on Tuesday.
• Canterbury stays in Rangiora to host defending champion Northern Districts in Round One; the Stags, in their 75th jubilee season, head home to their original home ground in Palmerston North to host Auckland, and the Wellington Firebirds have Otago at the Basin.
• Please note a change to the Plunket Shield Round 6 schedule, with the Stags-ND match at McLean Park, Napier to begin two days earlier than originally advised, now on 7 March 2026. The start of the other two Round 6 matches remains scheduled for 9 March 2026
Points at a glance, after 5/10 rounds (regular season)
- 306 at a 76.50 average: Henry Nicholls (Canterbury, above, PHOTOSPORT)
- 251 Robbie O’Donnell (Northern Districts)
- 237 Tom Bruce (Central Stags)
- 235 Chad Bowes (Canterbury)
- 225 Brad Schmulian (Central Stags)
- 16 at 11.37 Josh Clarkson (Central Stags)
- 12 James Hartshorn (Wellington Firebirds)
- 9 Peter Younghusband (Wellington Firebirds)
- 9 Simon Keene (Auckland Aces)
- 9 Jarrod McKay (Otago Volts, below, Photosport)
- Josh Clarkson (maiden, Central Stags)
- Henry Nicholls (two, Canterbury)
- Tim Robinson (maiden, Wellington Firebirds)
- Kristian Clarke (maiden, Northern Districts)
- Brad Schmulian (Central Stags)
- Harrish Kannan (maiden, Auckland Aces)
- Robbie O’Donnell (Northern Districts)
- Tom Bruce (Central Stags)
- Josh Clarkson (Central Stags)
- Cam Fletcher (Auckland Aces)
- Chad Bowes (Canterbury)
- 9 Henry Nicholls
- 8 Michael Papps
- 8 Nathan Astle
- 7 Craig McMillan
- 7 Chad Bowes
ROUND 5 RESULTS
