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Canterbury scraped into the all-South Island Twenty20 final in Dunedin on March 1 with a splendid run chase yesterday to beat Central Districts and cap a dramatic final round of matches.
Canterbury finished level with Auckland in second place but advanced with a superior run rate.
The winners
of the final could yet earn a place in this year's inaugural Champions League in India, an event that will carry millions of dollars in prizemoney. New Zealand Cricket is still negotiating with Indian officials for a berth in the tournament.
Canterbury had the advantage of playing a later game yesterday, knowing they needed to overhaul Central's 144 for six in 19.1 overs to head off Auckland.
They reached 145 for seven in 18.3 overs, with captain Kruger van Wyk playing the vital hand with 40 off 27 balls late in the chase.
In the other game, fourth-placed Wellington ensured one-day champions Northern Districts finished winless with a seven-wicket victory in Mt Maunganui. Northern were dismissed for 110 in the 19th over, and Wellington skipper Stephen Fleming struck an unbeaten 46 as they coasted home with 21 balls to spare.
- NZPA
