Auckland v Central Districts – HRV Cup, 2012/13 – Match Update – Vincent steers Auckland Aces to play-off
An unbeaten half-century from Lou Vincent enabled the Auckland Aces to climb up to third on the points table of the ongoing HRV Cup, and saw the team qualifying for a play-off against the Wellington Firebirds on January 18, after downing the Central Districts
Stags by 6 wickets, in their rain-affected clash at the Eden Park in Auckland, today on January 15.
In a match that was shortened to 18 overs per side owing to bad weather, the Stags won the toss and chose to bat first. However, their batsmen were severely impeded by the assaults of the Aces’ bowling attack. Led by Andre Adams (4-0-31-2), with Michael
Bates, Matthew Quinn, and Donovan Grobbelaar all chipping in by claiming one scalp each, the Aces managed to restrict the Stags to an easy target.
Only four of the Stags’ batsmen succeeded in progressing beyond single digits, while the rest succumbed without offering much resistance. Opening batsman Mathew Sinclair top-scored for the team with a 44 off 40 balls, while Jamie How (19), wicketkeeper batsman
Ben Smith (15), and Carl Cachopa (25) all attempted to put up a fight. By the end of 18 overs, with 7 wickets down, the Central Districts Stags managed to post a final total of 132.
Owing to further bouts of rain, the revised target for the Aces was 136 runs from 18 overs, but the team was more than up to the challenge, and managed to reach the target with 6 balls to spare. The chase was driven mostly by opening batsman Lou Vincent,
who anchored the team at the start, and contributed an unbeaten 52 off 39 at the top, including 2 sixes and 5 fours.
Most of the batsmen remained insipid, and offered easy pickings for Bevan Small (3-0-26-2) and Marty Kain (4-0-18-2), but Colin de Grandhomme (21) and Donovan Grobbelaar (36*) both managed to contribute double-digit scores. Vincent found a steady partner
in Grobbelaar, and the two batsmen joined forces for a final unbeaten 42-run stand for the fifth wicket – the highest partnership of the match – which propelled their side to 137, enabling them to claim a 6-wicket win.