Whanganui's Ben Smith on his way to a captain's knock of 149 not out in his Stags win over the Volts in the Ford Trophy in Nelson yesterday. Photos / Getty Images.
Whanganui's Ben Smith on his way to a captain's knock of 149 not out in his Stags win over the Volts in the Ford Trophy in Nelson yesterday. Photos / Getty Images.
It was a fantastic return to form in the Ford Trophy for the Central Stags and their Whanganui captain Ben Smith, as his highest List A score of 149 not out set up a 55-run win over the Otago Volts in Nelson yesterday.
Hammered by 125 runs after the Voltsmade an association record 407 in Dunedin on Sunday, this time the Stags were put in to bat at Saxton Oval and made Otago regret their decision at the toss by raising 345-2 from their 50 overs.
Initially in trouble when Nelson opener Greg Hay was dismissed off the second ball, Smith walked out for his 50th List A game and played a captain's knock - carrying his bat through the innings to score his unbeaten 149 from 151 balls.
Smith shared in a record second-wicket stand for the Stags of 224 with Manawatu's George Worker (99 from 117), who was returning from New Zealand A duties.
There was a little luck, with Smith's second boundary coming from an inside edge that just missed the stumps, but from there, the skipper and his partner worked their side through into the 42nd over before Worker was unfortunately bowled one run shy of his century.
Smith was then joined by Hawke's Bay's Kieran Noema-Barnett, who proceeded to smash a stagging 81 not out from just 35 balls, including five boundaries and eight sixes.
The pair put on another 119 runs from 53 balls to end the innings just shy of 350.
Ben Smith being congratulated by Kieran Noema-Barnett as they leave the field after setting up a big total at Saxton Oval.
Smith struck 15 boundaries, one of them raising his 50, and three sixes, which included an audacious periscope-style shot over his head.
He and Worker were initially watchful, with the Stags first 50 runs only coming in the 13th over, but they increased the tempo from there.
Smith's first 50 came off 74 balls, while he only needed another 44 balls for the century, which was his second in List A after making 100 in the first round of the Ford Trophy against Canterbury.
In reply, the Volts did not have Hamish Rutherford, who had scored 155 on Sunday, but former Stags player Dean Foxcroft, who had bowled Worker earlier, gave them a chance with his own career-best 138 from 141 balls.
However, other than Josh Finnie (47 from 51), Nathan Smith (27 from 15) and Dale Phillips (25 from 23), no-one could stay with Foxcroft long enough, as wickets fell throughout the innings.
