Auckland impress in Ford Trophy major semi-final stats

The Auckland Aces qualified for their eighth one day final by beating the Otago Volts in the major semi-final at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland. Only the Canterbury Wizards, with thirteen, have been in more finals.           
           
The Aces total of 337 for three is their third highest against the Volts, all of which have been scored in early February in the last three years. The Aces scored 362 in Oamaru on 3 February 2010 followed by 340 at Colin Maiden Park on 9 February last year. Now on 8 February this year they scored 337. 
           
The last three matches between the two teams have all been high scoring affairs with the match aggregate being over six hundred on each occasion. The Aces have won each time scoring 340 to 275, 303 for eight in reply to 302 and now 337 to 264. 
          
Neal Parlane became just the second player to score a century on debut for the Aces. James Pamment scored 105 not out on what was also his List A debut.   Parlane had played twenty matches against the Volts previously either for the Northern Knights or Wellington Firebirds without scoring a hundred. 
          
Anaru Kitchen also scored 110 not out, his maiden one day century. He brought up his hundred in seventy four balls, the second fastest for the Aces behind Aravinda de Silva who took just sixty five balls to score a century against the Wizards in the 1996-97 season.           

Parlane was not much slower, needing just eighty nine balls for his century, the seventh fastest for the Aces.           
Together the pair added 222 for the third wicket, the second highest partnership for the Aces for any wicket. The record is 242 added by Richard Jones and Rob Nicol, also for the third wicket, against the Northern Knights in 2007-08.           
           
This was the second double hundred partnership for the third wicket this season following the 231 added by Dean Robinson and Mathew Sinclair for the Central Stags against the Canterbury Wizards in Rangiora. Four of the five highest partnerships in New Zealand domestic one day cricket, including the two highest, have been scored for the third wicket.           
           
Anaru Kitchen followed up his highest score by finishing with three for 52, his best bowling figures and the best figures in the match. He was only required to bowl because the Aces have lost four bowlers - Kyle Mills, Michael Bates, Roneel Hira and Colin de Grandhomme - to the Black Caps, while Andre Adams has left to play in the Bangladesh Premier League.           
           
Neil Wagner has been the Volts bowler to suffer in each of the last three high scoring  matches. He has figures of one for 77, one for 76 and now zero for 74 to show for his efforts, three of the five most expensive bowling analyses for the Volts against the Aces.      
     
Hamish Rutherford was the one shining light for the Otago Volts scoring a rapid 62, his highest one day score and first half-century.