Cricket: Wet ball leaves Knights feeling damp

ON THE MOVE: Wellington Firebirds' James Franklin (7) and Tom Blundell take a run during the final.PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER 050414AW36BOP

The curse of Bay Oval has struck again for the Northern Knights, who fell to the Wellington Firebirds side in a final over thriller in Saturday's Ford Trophy final.

Bizarrely, in a match that ebbed and flowed, it may have been one of the Knights' fans that tipped the balance in the Firebirds' favour in the 46th over.

A spectator dressed head to toe in Knights gear picked up the ball following a towering James Franklin six off Trent Boult, plopped it in his beer, then took it out of his glass before pouring the remaining contents on top.

The wet ball was thrown back, before disappearing to the boundary twice more in the over.

Franklin, given a reprieve on eight by Jono Boult at fine leg in the 23rd over, threw his wicket away for a well-made 75 shortly after, but the damage had been done.

With the Firebirds requiring eight runs from the final six deliveries, a mid-pitch conference was called to determine who would bowl the final over.

Scott Kuggeleijn, who had come through in the clutch for the Knights a number of times this season, was finally selected.

His first delivery to a charging Luke Ronchi was a waste high full toss, which the Black Caps gloveman calmly deposited - with some help from the Bay Oval outfield - past a despairing Trent Boult at deep backward square leg.

The next ball was in virtually the same spot and nearly carried all the way towards a triumphant Firebirds side that had got home with four balls to spare.

Ronchi (41 not out off 31) was classy in the pursuit of Northern's 232-9, helping the Firebirds to claim the Ford Trophy for the first time in 12 seasons.

For all the late drama, it was the Knights' finish with the bat that may have cost them.

Knights captain Daniel Flynn said losing five late wickets for 22 runs somewhat wasted the contributions of Brad Wilson (68), BJ Watling (50), Daryl Mitchell (30) and Mitchell Santner (44).

"A couple of guys got in and got started, but probably didn't kick on as well as we would have liked ... that's the way it goes," Flynn said.

"We still thought we had enough to make a game out of it and we proved that."

Northern Knights 232-9 (Brad Wilson 68, BJ Watling 50, Brent Arnel 3-30) lost to Wellington Firebirds 233-6 after 49.2 overs (James Franklin 75, Michael Pollard 43, Luke Ronchi 41*) by four wickets.