AUK vs CS 28th Match, Super Smash 21-22

So that’s it from us for today from the Super Smash. It’s adieus from me (AkshayaKrishna Polya) who was along with Rahul and Jatin as we brought you all the live actions from this entertaining match. For cricket actions all over the world stay tuned on our websites and apps. We will meet in the next game. Until then it’s cheers…!

Earlier, Aces won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Eden Park track had a lot of paces and extra bounce on it. But Ben Smith and Will Young had other ideas. They started the innings by going all guns blazing. At the end of power play, Stags were cruising at 58/0. But then the introduction of leggie Aditya Ashok changed the complexion of the match a little bit. He first gets Young for 23 who was a victim for the fast hands of Glenn Phillips. Dane Cleaver was his second victim but that was after a partnership of 60 runs for the second wicket. Ben Smith stood tall and blasted his way through to a brilliant 80 from 49 balls. He was the main reason why they got to the total of 176/7 in 20 overs.

 At the halfway mark they were looking to get around 200 but Ashok and other bowlers pulled the things back nicely by taking regular wickets at the back end of the Stags innings. Stags had a long tail which was exposed at the 16th over mark and they didn’t turn up well. Bracewell played a small cameo of 18 from 13 balls before he was out to Ferguson's pace. They finished their innings probably 20 runs short.

Aditya Ashok was impressive with his figures of 4-0-28-3. Ferguson and Somerville were off-color today but took a couple of crucial wickets each in the end.

Chasing a fairly tough target of 177, Aces didn't get off to a flier. George Worker and Mark Chapman couldn't handle the pace, swing, and bounce of Seth Rance and bowed down to him cheaply. Rance and Milne were moving the ball sharply with their pace. It was made really difficult for Guptill and co to start the innings. He was struggling throughout his small stay of 16 from 21 balls at the crease. He hit a six over mid off and everyone thought it was his comeback but in the next delivery he picks the man at deep mid wicket. They were at this stage 29/3 after 5.4 overs.

Then Glenn Phillips joined hands with his skipper Robert O’Donnell to put a crucial 86 run partnership for the all-important fourth wicket. Phillips was hitting them all around the park.  He was out as soon as he completed his fifty. His score of 52 from 34 included five boundaries and three massive sixes. William O’Donnell didn’t hang around for much time as he chipped one straight back to Lennox who took the catch in his follow-through. Robert O’Donnell then became the aggressor as he toiled the Stags bowling in the slog overs. He blistered his way out to an impressive and wonderful knock of 68 from 37 balls before he holds out at deep mid wicket. He took Aces close to the target.

Aces needed 27 runs to win in the last two overs. Milne and Rance bowled well at the death as they were able to restrict Aces for a score of 166-7 in 20 overs.     

Seth Rance was pick of the bowlers with his match winning figures of 4-0-15-2. Doug Bracewell was expensive but took two important wickets in the process.  Adam Milne finished with his figures of 4-0-22-1. Blair Tickner and Jayden Lennox supported them with a picket apiece. 

Central Stags beat Auckland Aces by 10 runs. And it’s all over for Aces. Their dream of qualifying for the eliminator has been dented by their opponents. With that loss Aces drop to the fifth spot with 16 points and Stags after this win, will end the league stage by moving up to the fourth place with 16 points. And with all these it’s a confirmation that Wellington have qualified for the eliminator.