Youngster Zak Foulkes swings Kings to big Super Smash win over Brave

At Hagley Oval, Christchurch: Canterbury Kings 155-9 (Mitchell Hay 32 off 24, Ken McClure 26 off 16; Brett Hampton, 3-1 off 2, Scott Kuggeleijn 2-31 off 4) beat Northern Brave 106 off 18.1 overs (Scott Kuggeleijn 25 off 20; Zak Foulkes 4-23 off 4, Todd Astle 2-10 off 4) by 48 runs.

Impressive Canterbury youngster Zak Foulkes spearheaded the Kings to an emphatic Super Smash win over reigning champions Northern Brave on Friday night.

The 20-year-old all-rounder nabbed three big wickets at the top of the order in his team’s 48-run win at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval, before coming back and grabbing the important wicket of the big-hitting Scott Kuggeleijn to kill off the visitors chase.

Foulkes hooped the ball all over the shop with a fine display of swing bowling, finishing with 4-23 from four overs in just his second T20.

Defending what appeared to be a below-par total of 155-9 after being sent into bat on a fresh Hagley surface, Foulkes had the Brave in all sorts of bother after removing the top three in quick succession, setting the Kings up to roll Northern for 106 with almost two overs to spare.

His bag of wickets included former Black Caps Jeet Raval and Tim Seifert, who were both nicked out by peaches. Not that Raval believed he feathered the delivery which nagged away off the pitch.

Having almost cleaned up Katene Clarke with a ball which hooped in sharply with his first ball, he also removed the opener as the Brave crashed to 31-3 after five overs.

Despite Kings captain Cole McConchie resisting the urge to keep the hot hand of Foulkes on for a third over in his first spell, Canterbury kept on striking as the Brave soon slumped to 46-6 almost halfway through their innings.

Kuggeleijn, who earlier took 2-31 with the ball, boomed a couple of sixes to offer the faintest glimmer of hope for his side, only for him to sky one for McConchie to expertly catch off Foulkes’ bowling at long off.

McConchie had earlier taken a brilliant catch off his own bowling, diving to his left to dismiss the dangerous Brett Hampton.

Leg-spinner Todd Astle also proved a handful for the Brave, generating sharp spin and nabbing 2-10 from four well delivered overs.

On a surface which offered more spin than a typical Hagley wicket, it was difficult to know what to think of Canterbury’s total, especially after openers Chad Bowes and Ken McClure raced out of the gates and had 49 runs on the board inside five overs.

However, Zak Gibson ran out Bowes with a sharp piece of fielding off his own bowling, before Bowes holed out off Hampton’s bowling and a brilliant start quickly became 49-2.

The big moment

Did Brave captain Jeet Raval nick the delivery Foulkes managed to move away from him? His reaction sure led to believe he didn’t think he’d got the faintest of edges, but the finger went up, and the Brave were in an early hole.

Best with the bat

Mitchell Hay. Nobody scored more than the 32 he mustered for the Kings, who looked set to fall well short of 150 before his knock. He was also the only Canterbury batter to clear the Hagley rope.

Best with the ball

Zak Foulkes. Anyone who can swing the ball sharp and late is going to be a threat. The ball he dismissed Seifert with – he got it to keep its line – was a smart piece of bowling.

The big picture

It’s tight at the top of the standings, with Canterbury’s win moving them into third after playing six of their 10 games, two points behind the Firebirds and Stags, who both have a game in hand. The Kings are also just two points clear of the Brave, and four ahead of the Volts (game in hand).