“It started off really nicely, so I just kept going, and it was working so I didn’t try to rein it in too much. Just kept the foot on the gas,” said Bowes.
The former Black Cap admits he’s not had an innings where he’s hit the ball as well as he did today.
“Probably not consistently that well, every now and then. So, it was nice to get most of them out of the middle and hit it around the park,” said Bowes.
What made Bowes’ innings even more incredible was his contribution to the team total. When he raised his bat for 200, Canterbury were 257 for five – meaning he’d scored 78% of his team’s total.
While Bowes’ innings saw him face 110 balls and score 150 runs in boundaries, the knock still took its toll on him. He was twice treated for back issues and regularly hydrated under a blazing Canterbury sky – the temperature reaching 26C.
For all the big shots there were – and there were many, including one that rolled around the marquee roof of the Hadlee Pavilion – it was back-to-back boundaries off the bowling of Andrew Hazeldine that really underlined Bowes’ form.
He cracked two consecutive short balls through a tight gap between boundary riders at backward square leg and wide mid-wicket, defying the plan that had been put in place by the Otago captain.
Bowes’ 205 is a Canterbury record but fell just short of the New Zealand Ford Trophy record for an individual innings. That still belongs to Jamie How, who made 222 for Central Districts in 2013.
It was only the second double century to be scored in the competition’s history and Bowes became just the third New Zealander to do it in List A competition. Martin Guptill was the other, making 237 not out in the 2015 World Cup, playing for New Zealand against West Indies.
Canterbury finished their innings at 343/9.
Otago capitulated in their chase, dismissed for just 103 in the 25th over.
