Canterbury inflict more misery on reigning Ford Trophy champions Auckland

At Mainpower Oval, Rangiora: Auckland Aces 162 from 44.1 overs (Danru Ferns 42 not out; Henry Shipley 3-14, Ish Sodhi 3-29) lost to Canterbury 166-2 from 20 overs (Chad Bowes 85 not out, Henry Nicholls 40; Will Somerville 1-12) by eight wickets.

Auckland’s disastrous start to their Ford Trophy title defence continued on a sweaty day in Rangiora on Sunday.

Fresh from a six-wicket thumping at the hands of Otago, Canterbury hammered the Aces by eight wickets at Mainpower Oval to put them in a 0-2 hole at the bottom of the standings.

On a day seamer Henry Shipley and new Black Caps recruit Ish Sodhi snared three wickets apiece for the hosts, Auckland’s batting again faltered as they mustered a well below par score of 162 from 44.1 overs.

Led by opener Chad Bowes’ unbeaten 85 from 58 balls, the hosts made it look easy, cruising home in just overs.

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Heck, Tom Latham, who plundered a brilliant ton against India for the Black Caps last month, was barely required.

He faced just eight balls for his unbeaten 17, finishing the job after Henry Nicholls was dismissed with 40 runs to his name.

Shipley was the chief destroyer after Canterbury put Auckland in to bat, nabbing 3-14 from eight overs, outshining Black Cap and fellow opener Matt Henry.

Sodhi took 3-29 from his 10 overs, highlighted by him cleaning up Cole Briggs with a peach of a wrong’un, as Canterbury improved to 2-1 atop the standings.

They’re joined by Wellington and Central with two wins, after the Firebirds beat Northern Districts by 50 runs at Cobham Oval in Whangārei and the Central Stags blitzed Otago in New Plymouth.

Rachin Ravindra was the star of the show for Wellington, stroking 105 at the top of the order as the Firebirds set the hosts 271 to win, before taking three wickets with his left-arm spin.

But his 3-52 was overshadowed by Ben Sears’ 4-41, a welcome return to form after the quick was sidelined through injury.

He took the all-important wicket of Brett Hampton (55), killing off the hosts after he and Neil Wagner (45 not out) had dragged them back into the contest, putting on 88 runs for the ninth wicket.

In the other match, Glenn Phillips’ Otago debut didn’t go to plan in New Plymouth, where the Stags romped to a 123-run win over the Volts on the back of a fine Will Young ton.

Young struck 128 from 113 balls, more than making up for the early loss of Black Caps great Ross Taylor for a duck.

Taylor’s dismissal had left the Stags in a hole at 33-3, before Young’s 10th Ford Trophy ton lifted them to 256, despite being dismissed with 5.3 overs up their sleeves.

Phillips top scored with 34 in Otago’s chase, which lasted just 25.4 overs and ended with 133 runs on the board.

At Cobham Oval, Whangārei: Wellington Firebirds 270 (Rachin Ravindra 105; Katene Clarke 4-50, Brett Hampton 3-49) beat Northern Districts 220 from 43.1 overs (Hampton 55, Henry Cooper 49, Neil Wagner 45*; Ben Sears 4-41, Ravindra 3-52) by 50 runs.

At Pukekura Park, New Plymouth: Central Stags 256 in 44.3 overs (Will Young 128, Josh Clarkson 42; Jacob Duffy 5-33, Michael Rippon 3-69) beat Otago Volts 133 from 25.4 overs (Glenn Phillips 34; Seth Rance 3-29, Doug Bracewell 3-38) by 123 runs.