The Central Stags will have a pleasant case of déja vu when they head into a home Ford Trophy Grand Final at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park on Saturday ... for the second time in the space of just three years.
The Stags locked in the televised home Grand Final after brushing aside the Auckland Aces in the 1v2 Semi-Final at the same ground today and haven't lost a game this season since the first round.
A controlled performance with the ball set up the seven-wicket DLS win, the Aces earlier having required a record eight-wicket stand between the sides, both Tarun Nethula and Ben Horne reaching career best maiden List A half centuries, in order to push the Aces up to a respectable score after they were sent in by Stags captain Will Young in overcast conditions.
The second qualifiers were bowled out for 240 with 4.1 overs unutilised before an isolated, but heavy, shower converted the Stags' chase to a DLS target of 190 from 32 overs. Resuming at 8/0, George Worker and Ben Smith carried on where they left off to set up the platform for a comfortable victory with an 89-run opening stand.
Complete match summary, photos
Milestones
- Finn Allen: List A debut
- Ben Horne: Highest List A score: previous best 24
- Tarun Nethula: Highest List A score: previous best 49
- Ben Horne/Tarun Nethula highest 8th wicket partnership for Auckland Aces v Central Stags (105). Previous record: 93 by Gareth Hopkins and Ronnie Hira.
The Aces have a second life. MButcher/CDCA
The Auckland Aces will now head home to Colin Maiden Park where they will host defending champions Canterbury in the sudden death Elimination Final on Wednesday to determine who will meet the Stags back in New Plymouth. Should weather prevent a result on Wednesday, the Aces will proceed to the Grand Final as the second highest qualifier after the regular season.
Defending champions Canterbury meanwhile ended Northern Districts' dream of twin white-ball titles for the season after a comprehensive, 168-run victory set up by Henry Nicholls' third List A century.
Nicholls shared a pivotal 116-run stand with Tom Latham for the third wicket to set up a strong first innings tally of 287 in 49.2 overs, a total ND fell well short of matching. Canterbury's 168-run winning margin was a new List A record for the team making a sterling comeback at the business end of the season.
Complete match summary and photos
The Central Stags last hosted The Ford Trophy Grand Final at Pukekura Park just two seasons ago, defeating Canterbury to claim the 2016 national one-day title.
THE FORD TROPHY Elimination Final
WEDNESDAY 21 February 11am
Colin Maiden Park, Auckland
Auckland Aces v Canterbury
THE FORD TROPHY Grand Final
SATURDAY 24 February 11am
Pukekura Park, New Plymouth
Central Stags v winner of Elimination Final
LIVE on SKY Sport
