At Eden Park, Auckland: Otago Volts 138 from 19.3 overs (Dean Foxcroft 45 not out off 47, Max Chu 30 off 17; Jock McKenzie 3-31 off 4, Danru Ferns 3-32 off 3.3) lost to Auckland Aces 139-3 from 17.5 overs (Cam Fletcher 74 not out from 51, Cole Briggs 37 not out from 37) by seven wickets. Click here for full scoreboard
Ryan Harrison said what many people were probably thinking regarding Auckland Aces debutant Jock McKenzie.
“He’s one of those annoying guys that’s good at every sport,” he said of his teammate, who has also represented the Blues and Auckland in rugby.
But it was with cricket ball in hand at Eden Park when he shone on Sunday, taking 3-31 in Auckland’s seven-wicket Super Smash win against the Otago Volts.
McKenzie, a No 10 who played twice for the Blues in 2022, and four times for Auckland during the NPC last year, is the brother of Canterbury Kings player Angus.
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Jock McKenzie made his Super Smash debut for Auckland against Otago on Sunday.
He bowled with good heat on a wicket that offered seamers plenty of assistance, at times firing down deliveries that angled in and seamed away off the deck.
McKenzie accounted for Oli White, Llew Johnson and Dale Phillips in quick succession, as the Volts lost regular wickets and were bowled out for 138 with three balls to spare.
Auckland wobbled early in their pursuit, before Cam Fletcher punished the visitors for giving him a reprieve – Jacob Duffy dropped a sitter at long-off when he was on 29.
Fletcher soon heated up, bringing up his 50 off his 32nd ball by heaving Travis Muller over deep square leg, before finishing with an unbeaten 74 from 51 deliveries.
The big moment
Who knows what would have happened if Duffy held on to the goober Fletcher hit down his throat. After all, on a wicket all batters struggled on early in their innings, it would have reduced the Aces to 75-4.
Fletcher, who earlier had a Muller delivery clip his off-stump but not dislodge the bails, scored another 45 runs, and shared a 105-run stand with Cole Briggs.
Best with the bat
So good for Canterbury last year, Fletcher hadn’t quite fired for the Aces yet this year. Until now.
His unbeaten 74 included five fours and four sixes, two of them which would have been maximums on any ground in the world.
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Jock McKenzie in aciton against Southland during the NPC last year.
Best with the ball
The Volts finally got McKenzie away for a few boundaries late, but he was all over them through his first three overs, taking a memorable 3fa on debut.
The big picture
With five wins and a lone loss to their name, the Aces shoot past Wellington and into first place with two games to play.
As for the Volts, they need to win their final two matches, and hope for other results to go their way if they’re to make the top three.