ROUND SIX
CANTERBURY beat OTAGO VOLTS by 8 wickets (DLS, bonus point win)
Mainpower Oval, Rangiora
2 February 2024
(Match reduced to 44 overs per side)
Points: Canterbury 5, Otago Volts 0
- Jacob Cumming (Otago Volts): List A Debut
- Ed Nuttall: 50th List A appearance
- Will O'Rourke: Maiden five-wicket bag in List A cricket
- Will O'Rourke (6/20): second best haul in Canterbury men's List A history
Bad news for batsmen all over New Zealand. Will O'Rourke looks like he's going from strength to strength after his BLACKCAPS debut this summer.
The exciting big paceman rustled up a maiden 6/20 in an emphatic win over the Otago Volts, and it was the second best Ford Trophy haul in Canterbury's history - Ryan McCone's record of 6/19 surviving, just.
Not only that, but O'Rourke achieved a statistical rarity by taking all six of the six first wickets to fall.
It was a good day out for Canterbury captain Cole McConchie who had wasted no time in deciding to bowl on a day when some showers were forecast out in the country.
Tossing the ball to his strike weapon, the Volts found themselves 29/3 before the weather indeed interrupted at the eight-over mark, and reduced the contest to 44 overs per side.
The Volts, in their first match following Hamilsh Rutherford's retirement and with Jacob Cumming on List A debut, were 49/6 by the 13th over all courtesy of W.P. O'Rourke, and it came as no consolation when Zak Foulkes got a look in to dismiss Llew Johnson at 65/7.
Canterbury keeper had enjoyed his busy work behind the stumps and ended up with four catches in the innings, as well as finishing off a runout opportunity with the throw rocketed in from Chad Bowes to end the Volts innings at 135 in 29.2 overs.
It was always going to be Canterbury's game in the bag, the official DLS target revised slightly to 133 off 44 overs.
The Volts consoled themselves with a couple of wickets, Jacob Duffy smashing Bowes's castle after a quick 39.
But Henry Nicholls carried on where he left off in the Dream11 Super Smash to guide his side home in just 19.2 overs with Leo Carter, Nicholls finishing on an unbeaten 49* after three boundaries and three sixes.
The bonus point win saw the red and blacks move up a notch on the ladder, overtaking the Volts for fourth spot with four rounds to go, while the Volts eventually slid down to last after the Wellington Firebirds took two points from a dramatic washout in Wellington.
