Wellington Firebirds retain New Zealand s national T20 title
Sat, Feb 13 2021 06:57:30 PM
Wellington, Feb 13 (IANS): The Wellington Firebirds have become just the second team to win New Zealand s men s domestic T20 title back-to-back after both Dream11 Super Smash Grand Finals ended in exciting last-over finishes at a buzzing Basin Reserve here.
Clinical, calm opener Devon Conway thrilled the 5,000-strong crowd as he hit the winning boundary with two balls to spare as the defending champions chased down 175 for eight wickets from the Canterbury Kings.
Looking to win their first trophy since the first national T20 competition in 2005-06, the hungry Kings kept themselves in it with the ball despite losing the bowling services of Daryl Mitchell after the all-rounder pulled a side muscle whilst leaping outstretched for an attempted catch, having bowled just one over for four runs.
Central Stags batsman Ross Taylor clattered the Canterbury bowlers all over McLean Park.
Everyone awaited a response when Ross Taylor, dropped from the Black Caps Twenty20 side in December, was challenged to prove the selectors wrong in Central Stags green. It took a while, until the Stags’ final regular season Super Smash match, but Taylor made his statement with a megaphone against Canterbury Kings, raining down seven sixes on McLean Park on Friday night. Taylor’s power-packed 65 off 36 balls led the Stags to 183-6 and a 30-run victory over the Kings, to pip them for second place on net run rate and end the star-studded Knights’ slim playoff hopes.
Cole McConchie’s 50 led the Canterbury Kings to victory against the Otago Volts.
Captain Cole McConchie kicked on to catapult the Canterbury Kings into the men s Twenty20 Super Smash finals after powering past the Otago Volts in Christchurch. Otago were threatening to post a big first-innings total but Neil Broom s departure for 48 from 37 balls, combined with a tight four overs of leg-spin from Todd Astle (2-18), slowed the Volts down, leaving the Kings chasing 163 under the new lights at Hagley Oval on Saturday. The Kings looked awfully shaky, needing 53 from 36 balls, but McConchie steadied their chase with a priceless, match-winning 50 from 36 to take his side into second, above the Central Stags, and assured of a finals place.
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