Cricket: Knights overtaken in thrilling clash

Dean Brownlie's fine innings of 61 proved not to be enough against the Otago Volts at Bay Oval yesterday. Photo / George Novak

The Northern Knights were eclipsed in the final over in a high-quality game at Bay Oval.

The Volts required nine runs to surpass the Knights' fine score of 308/8 starting the final over.

The visitors needed just three balls to get the job done through youngster Josh Finnie after Michael Bracewell's remarkable 83 from just 48 balls turned the match on its head.

The Volts got fine contributions from openers Aaron Redmond (64) and Sam Wells (93), who put on 134 for the first wicket to set up the perfectly timed pursuit.

Earlier, the Knights' formidable total was built in traditional fashion, with fireworks in the opening and closing 10 overs separated by a gradual process of clever accumulation.

The innings sparked into life when skipper Daniel Flynn joined Dean Brownlie at the loss of the first wicket, triggering a rapid partnership that set the Knights on their way.

Flynn was run out but Brownlie continued on, notching 61 before handing duties over to Mitchell Santner and Daryl Mitchell.

Santner took up much of the slack with a run-a-ball 45 before Mitchell, who finished not out on 100, took up the attack.

His century came off 98 balls and looked likely to be enough with the Volts still requiring more than 10 runs per over with five remaining, but the Volts began their run at just the right time.

More than 600 runs were scored in 100 overs - proof the Bay Oval surface continues to produce exciting cricket.

-Scorecard:

Northern Knights

AP Devcich lbw b JA Duffy 2
DG Brownlie b JA Duffy 66
DR Flynn run out (SR Wells) 24
DJ Mitchell not out 100
CJ Anderson c DC de Boorder b JA Duffy 6
MJ Santner c IA Robertson b NL McCullum 45
TL Seifert run out (JL Finnie/DC de Boorder) 25
SC Kuggeleijn c AJ Redmond b JA Duffy 0
IS Sodhi c DC de Boorder b SR Wells 8
JJ Boult not out 12

Extras (b 4, lb 9, wd 7, nb 0) 20

Total (for 8 wickets, 50.0 overs) 308

Fall: 1-9 (AP Devcich, 3.3), 2-70 (DR Flynn, 11.3), 3-131 (DG Brownlie, 23.4), 4-139 (CJ Anderson, 25.1), 5-217 (MJ Santner, 38.6), 6-267 (TL Seifert, 44.6), 7-272 (SC Kuggeleijn, 45.4), 8-281 (IS Sodhi, 46.5)

Bowling: N Wagner 10-0-72-0, JA Duffy 10-0-64-4, SR Wells 10-1-37-1, JM McMillan 7-0-43-0, NL McCullum 10-0-50-1, JL Finnie 3-0-29-0.

Otago Volts

AJ Redmond c DG Brownlie b IS Sodhi 64
SR Wells c A Verma b IS Sodhi 93
MG Bracewell c DJ Mitchell b SC Kuggeleijn 83
NL McCullum c DJ Mitchell b IS Sodhi 5
DC de Boorder not out 25
IA Robertson c DJ Mitchell b MJ Santner 7
JL Finnie not out 18

Extras (b 4, lb 3, wd 6, nb 1) 14

Total (for 5 wickets, 49.3 overs) 309

Fall: 1-134 (AJ Redmond, 27.5), 2-245 (MG Bracewell, 40.6), 3-247 (SR Wells, 41.5), 4-267 (NL McCullum, 45.3), 5-282 (IA Robertson, 47.2)

Bowling: SC Kuggeleijn 7.3-0-51-1 (2w, 1nb), A Verma 7-0-37-0, MJ Santner 10-0-60-1, IS Sodhi 10-0-48-3, CJ Anderson 5-0-35-0, JJ Boult 10-0-71-0.