ROUND SIX
SUNDAY 26 JANUARY 2020
• Colin Maiden Park, Auckland
• Basin Reserve, Wellington
• University of Otago Oval, Dunedin
Dream11 Super Smash may be done for another season, but the white-ball action continues for New Zealand's top Domestic cricketers as the 2019/20 Ford Trophy resumes from 11am this Sunday.
The Auckland Aces meet Canterbury in a top-of-the-table clash at Auckland's Colin Maiden Park. Last year's runners-up the Otago Volts host the Central Stags at Dunedin's University of Otago Oval and defending champions the Wellington Firebirds, fresh off their Dream11 Super Smash T20 championship triumph, will be back at their happy hunting ground - the Basin Reserve - looking to gain on runaway leaders the Aces and second-placed Canterbury.
With a maximum of five points available per game (four for a win, and a bonus point on offer to teams who win with a run rate 1.25 times that of their opponent's), there is a maximum of 25 points on the table for each team in the back half of the 10-round competition, after which the top three sides progress to the knockout Finals.
View this post on InstagramNew skip + the return of Henry Nicholls to Ford Trophy! #wearecanterbury #cricketnation #fordtrophy
The Aces head the table on 20 points after four wins from their five pre-Christmas games, but Canterbury (16 points) can join or even overtake them this Sunday should the visitors produce a strong away win.
After three wins and two losses, the Firebirds meanwhile need to start work on hauling in the present eight-point gap between them and Canterbury, and they will be looking to scrap their way out of a log-jam at the lower end of the table where Northern Districts and the Volts also sit on eight points.
Meanwhile the Central Stags have star batsman Will Young back for the first time this summer, and, with Tom Bruce on NZ A and BLACKCAPS leave, a new captain in Ben Smith who will be looking to lead the side back up the ladder after a tough start to their one-day season.
The qualification race will be intense with The Ford Trophy 2v3 Elimination Final to take place in less than three weeks' time.
All matches are live-scored at www.nzc.nz
Official hashtag: #FordTrophy
