Cricket: Northern Districts masterclass earns Twenty20 title

Knights players pose for a team photo as they celebrate an easy win against the Central Stags. Photo / Photosport

Northern Districts picked the perfect time to play the best game in their Twenty20 history.

In the most lop-sided final in the Super Smash's 13 years of existence, ND have put on a Twenty20 cricket masterclass, thrashing Central Districts by nine wickets.

For so long the least successful side in the shortest format, ND found immediate riches under debut coach Gareth Hopkins, taking on a far more aggressive approach to claim their second Super Smash title, and first trophy in any format since 2014.

Today, their four-year wait paid off at Seddon Park, restricting Central to 99-8 – their lowest score in their domestic T20 history - and then requiring only 8.5 overs to bludgeon their way to a nine-wicket victory.

As the score suggests, ND were near-perfect in every regard. Their seamers – led by Brent Arnel and Scott Kuggeleijn – immediately put CD under the pump, getting rid of the dangerous trio of Jesse Ryder, Will Young and Tom Bruce, all before the fifth over.

Normally the most potent batting lineup in the competition, CD's batsmen had lost all of their timing, hitting just five boundaries in their innings as shots rolled limply to the fielders manning the inner circle.

George Worker (37 from 33 balls) tried his best to rebuild the innings, but just as CD showed some promise, ND pulled the ace from their sleeve.

Into the attack came the world's top-ranked Twenty20 bowler, Ish Sodhi, and he had the opposition in knots. Ball after ball went past the outside edge, before he got Dane Cleaver to edge behind to end the only promising partnership of the innings.

Further wickets tumbled as Sodhi finished with 2-15 from his four overs, working in tandem with Anton Devcich, who claimed 3-16.

Worker was the last hope, but a spectacular one-handed grab at extra cover by Dean Brownlie saw his demise, as CD limped to a meek total, which was never going to trouble the hosts.

In fact, ND were so unbothered that they stormed through their runchase.

Tim Seifert got things started with 23 from 12 balls, before Brownlie took over, smacking five fours in an over off Blair Tickner's bowling.

Remarkably, the next over Devcich went one better, smoking six consecutive fours off spinner Ajaz Patel, and the veteran fittingly had the final say, hitting one final boundary to bring up his 50, and seal a stunning victory.