ROUND EIGHT
CANTERBURY v NORTHERN DISTRICTS - no result
Day/night match
10 February 2024
Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Points: Canterbury 2, ND 2
SELECTED MILESTONES
- Ewald Shreuder: Northern Districts and List A debut, maiden wicket
- Bevan Jacobs: List A career best batting
- Zak Foulkes: List A career best batting
The scene was set for a showcase event at Hagley Oval with Ford Trophy day-night cricket returning to Christchurch and a top-of-the-table shootout at that.
Alas, weather has a knack for ruining a brilliant occasion.
There was time for a full first innings when the sun was shining, Canterbury sent in by ND skipper Jeet Raval and putting 273 on the tins, dismissed with just three balls left to go in the last over.
Ewald Schreuder | All images: PHOTOSPORT
Despite big names falling for not many - Henry Nicholls caught cheaply off Brett Hampton, Leo Carter departing for a golden (courtesy of Kristian Clarke) and captain Cole McConchie quickly becoming ND debutant and NZ Under 19 World Cup rep Ewald Schreuder's maiden wicket in any format for ND, opener Chad Bowes clung on and made sure he got his team a good start.
Bowes top-scored with 74 before the latter part of the order muscled in with good contributions.
Michael Rippon (36) put on 67 with Bowes for the fifth wicket, then BJ Jacobs (35, below) and Zak Foulkes (47, above) put on 78 for the seventh, both reaching their one-day career bests.
It turned a good start into a long afternoon for Northern, who finally had key spinner Joe Walker back from injury but yet to make a breakthrough himself.
Hampton meanwhile had three, before Walker spun in and got Fraser Sheat at the death, followed by Gus McKenzie - caught after a quick 37 at nine - to wrap things up.
But only 10 overs of the chase was possible (time enough for two quick wickets) before the rain came down, and most of the action under lights involved groundsmen, brooms and covers.
The rain stopped, and the work continued, but just as everyone got their hope up for a resumption, the rain returned and that was it for the night.
The shared points kept both teams ahead of the pack at the right end of the table, but no one was yet assured of a Final on a tight ladder.
