HRV Cup: Rob Nicol steers Canterbury to a six-wicket win over Otago
Not even the return of McCullum duo, Brendon and Nathan, could halt Otago's losing streak as the side faced its fifth successive defeat of the season’s HRV Cup when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Canterbury-c775 chased their competitive 20-overs target of 168 runs with
five balls to spare and six wickets still intact.
In a match played at Village http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Green-c60723 in Christchurch, it was Rob Nicol's half-century, well complimented by Ryan ten Doeschate’s whirlwind 25-ball 45 which anchored Wizards to a six-wicket victory carrying away the minimal chances of
Otago Volts of reaching the finals.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Peter-Fulton-c2177, the Canterbury skipper, after winning the toss put the Volts in to bat. Initially, it looked like Fulton’s decision of putting the opposition in to bat has backfired as the opening duo of Otago, Brendon McCullum and
Aaron Redmond, started aggressively powering their way to 42 within the first five overs of the game. But, it was http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Ellis-c1037 who broke the opening partnership with a beautiful delivery breaking McCullum’s stumps in the fifth over. Brendon McCullum, who had
just returned from a national duty against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750, scored 21 runs from 13 balls hitting four boundaries and a lofty six.
McCullum was soon followed back by skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stevens-c91368 as Otago faltered to 79 for 3 in the next six overs. With the wickets clattering at the other end, fluent Redmond continued his aggressive game to reach his
half-century of just 36 balls. That became 101 for 4 when Nathan McCullum lost his wicket while taking a careless plus needless run. Redmond was the next man to leave the crease after being caught by Dean Brownline off Ryan ten Doeschate at 55.
Redmond’s dismissal brought Ian http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Butler-c48850 to the crease who blasted five lofty sixes in his belligerent unbeaten knock of 46 runs that came through just 20 balls as the Volts set a respectable total of 168 for 7.
In reply, the Wizards went off to an equally aggressive start with the openers Rob Nicol and Peter Fulton setting a strong platform of 50 runs from the opening five overs of the Canterbury innings, with the bulk coming from the former.
A double strike http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dean-Brownlie-c1349 to steady the innings.
Wizards were needing 77 to win off 51 balls when Brownlie fell for 28. Then came Ryan ten Doeschate to partner with Fulton’s opening partner Nicol and the duo sealed the game for Canterbury, adding 72 runs to the scorecard off 7.1
overs. Nicol fell just seven runs before ten Doeschate hit the winning shot with five balls to spare.
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