Cricket: Auckland coast into T20 final

Bruce Martin of the Aces (centre) celebrates with his team mates after taking a catch during the Otago Volts v Auckland Aces 20 Twenty cricket match, held at Colin Maiden Park in Auckland this afternoon. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The rampant Auckland Aces booked their spot in the HRV Cup final today, with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over Central Districts at Colin Maiden Park.

The defending champions didn't let a 90-minute rain delay or a powerful-looking Stags' batting lineup bother them, chasing down the visitors' 90 with 27 balls to spare.

Central Districts lost regular wickets throughout their 15-over innings, and their total never looked to be enough to prevent Auckland from coasting to their fourth straight T20 win.

Auckland can now look ahead to the January 22 final, knowing only Canterbury can prevent them from chasing two titles in a row on their home turf.

Another outstanding bowling effort from the Aces' slow bowlers was backed by some slick fielding to curtail any momentum the Stags built throughout their innings.

Spinner Ronnie Hira continued his fine form this season, taking 2-16 from three overs to move to second in the competition's wicket-taking standings. Andre Adams conceded a miserly 11 runs from his three overs, while also running the big-hitting Kieran Noema-Barnett for a duck.

Ross Taylor's 21 was the best the Central batters could muster, as too many were guilty of playing for the boundary rather than accumulating runs. Central fell from 22 without loss to 29-4 in the space of three overs, cutting short their chances of a big total early in the innings.

Those chances weren't aided by the Stags' middle order, with the dangerous trio of Matt Sinclair (2), Jacob Oram (13) and Doug Bracewell (7) all falling without making much of a contribution.

In reply, Martin Guptill and Azhar Mahmood got Auckland off to the perfect start in fading light. Both batsmen hit the first ball they faced for four, as Auckland took 18 from the opening over to set the tone for the innings.

The only upset was Guptill, the competition's leading run-scorer, proving unable to personally see his side home, after he mishit a full Bracewell delivery and was caught at third man for a breezy 18 off 13 in the fifth over.

Stags' spinner Tarun Nethula gave his side a sniff in the sixth over, claiming the consecutive wickets of Mahmood (19) and Gareth Hopkins for a golden duck. But Anaru Kitchen and Colin de Grandhomme didn't let that setback bother them, taking two fours and a six from the next over to allay any home fans' fears.

That combination was enough to see Auckland home, with Kitchen hitting two consecutive sixes to put the Stags out of their misery. Kitchen's 34no and de Grandhomme's unbeaten 11 handed Auckland their sixth win from seven completed games this season and, with it, a place in the trophy decider.